Wet markets in BDA areas reopen for business today
BINTULU: Several wet markets in areas under the jurisdiction of Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), including those in Tatau and Sebauh districts, reopen for business today.
In this regard, BDA general manager Rodziah Morshidi said the daily operating hours of these markets would run from 7am to 2pm only, and the sites would be monitored by 84 BDA enforcement personnel, with the assistance from police.
Moreover, the wholesalers selling vegetables in front of Pasar Utama Bintulu would only operate from 6am to 8am, she added.
“The safety guidelines must be observed all the times by all – the traders and the shoppers alike – in order to break the chain of Covid-19 infection.
“The traders of the ‘ tamu’ (farmers and jungle produce markets) in Bintulu, Tatau and Sebauh must comply with the trading rules in their respective lots by taking into consideration the practice of social distancing of at least one metre between the traders and the buyers,” she said during a press conference at Bintulu Municipal Service (Perbinda) building yesterday, which announced the reopening of the ‘tamu’.
Rodziah said with regard to those failing to comply with the guidelines under the movement control order (MCO), there would be no hesitation from the BDA to immediately close down the markets.
On the number of traders, she said this would depend on the number of available lots at the markets, arranged on a ‘firstcome, first-served’ basis.
“There must be no trading activities allowed outside the tamu building, or outside the lots.
“Traders and buyers must always wear face masks and they must all emphasis on personal hygiene while there.”
Meanwhile, Rodziah said for the community in Kampung Jepak, the BDA had agreed to allocate a location for the traders there, adding that a meeting would be conducted with the village security and development committee (JKKK) to identify the safest area for them to sell their products.
For Pantai ABF Market, she said the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) would be responsible in allocating six stalls for the fishermen to sell their catch, but for the vegetable traders, they should go to Pasar Utama Bintulu.
On the other hand, Rodziah said the Kampung Sebiew fish market would be closed throughout the MCO period in view of its status as not being under LKIM or BDA jurisdiction.
“The traders and fishmongers there are advised to go to either Tamu Bintulu or Pasar Utama Bintulu to sell their products.”
It is stated that from the total 272 trading lots at Pasar Utama
Bintulu, only 73 lots are occupied – at Tamu Bintulu, there are 252 lots.
Asked about the holding of any Ramadan bazaar here this year, Rodziah said this would all depend on the Covid-19 situation in the country, and this matter must be referred to the Ministry of Health before any decision could be made.
“If we want to fight this disease, we all must adhere to the MCO because only by doing this, we can break the chain of infection,” she stressed.