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PETALING JAYA: The Selangor state government should reconsider closing time for restaurants with bar service before 11pm as it will not help stop the Covid-19 pandemic, say three associations comprising food operators and drinks (F&B).
In a statement on Saturday (October 3), the three associations, the Malaysian Shopping Center Association, the Malaysian Retail Association and the Malaysian Retail Chain Association, expressed their discontent at being forced to close earlier than other businesses. that can operate until 2 am.
On October 2, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Amirudin Shari announced that all restaurants with bars in the state must close their facilities before 11 p.m.
Malaysian Shopping Center Association Chairman Tan Sri Teo Chiang Kok, speaking on behalf of the three associations, said such targeted action targeting certain businesses would not contain the disease and would also be detrimental to the recovery of the economy.
“We are stumped by this sudden change in hours of operation when all companies can operate until 2 am.
“We are all deeply concerned by the sudden increase in Covid-19 cases in the past two days, and the industry and business community support actions that could mitigate this spread of the pandemic,” he said.
However, he said the group believed that this sudden change in hours of operation in a certain category of businesses was not the solution.
It would be detrimental to efforts to recover, revive and survive with the economy reopening, he said.
“The closure at 11pm is irrelevant to the steps necessary to stop the spread of the disease.
“Strict observance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) by everyone from individuals to businesses is the key to containing the spread of this disease.
“There is no correlation between operating hours in the bistro bar business and the increase in Covid-19 cases,” Teo said.
He also asked Amirudin to overturn the ruling and allow all food and beverage outlets to open until 2 am, strictly adhering to the authorities’ standard operating procedures.
Selangor is one of three states, aside from Sabah and Kedah, that has had new clusters and a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in recent days.
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