FT Minister Cancels Ramadan Bazaars This Year. Here's What Will Happen Instead
The minister also stressed that regardless of whether or not the MCO is lifted on 14 April, any gatherings during Ramadan would not be allowed.
By Sadho Ram — 08 Apr 2020, 07:17 PM
Annuar Musa has announced the cancellation of Ramadan bazaars for the Federal Territories in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan
Bernam reported the Federal Territories Minister saying that there will be no Ramadan bazaars this year.
According to the national news agency, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Putrajaya Corporation (PPj), and Labuan Corporation (PL) would be returning the payment of licence, deposit, and service charge to hawkers and organisers who were approved earlier.
"A total of 2,673 hawkers at 66 Ramadan bazaar locations had registered with DBKL, 300 with PPj, and 215 hawkers at three locations with PL," he was quoted as saying today, 8 April.
While the bazaars stand cancelled, three new approaches are being introduced to help sell food and drinks during Ramadan
They are:
- Drive-through,
- Pack and Pick, as well as
- E-hailing delivery.
Here's how these concepts will work
For the drive-through concept, hawkers would be arranged according to segments and all food will be in packed containers for customers to select, Musa explained during a media conference.
"There will be four lanes, each with a line of canopies along 20 metres, and enforcement personnel would be on hand to control traffic flow," Bernama reported him as saying.
Precinct 2 Boulevard in Putrajaya and the Bukit Jalil National Stadium are among the proposed locations.
For the pack and pick concept, people would need to book and pay their food orders online. They would then required to collect the food from the places stipulated by the local authorities.
Musa said that the government will open the registration of hawkers for the three concepts at the approved locations from 13 to 19 April
"Hawkers who have registered for Ramadan bazaars earlier could also register according to conditions and an incentive would also be introduced to encourage them to follow the new concept," he said.
Meanwhile, the minister also stressed that regardless of whether or not the Movement Control Order (MCO) is lifted on 14 April, any gatherings during Ramadan would not be allowed
"Whether the MCO has been lifted or continued, we think the social distancing guidelines of the Ministry of Health should continue to break the chain of COVID-19 infection," he said.
"Nonetheless, those who wish to contribute food to the needy, should inform us of the total amount of contribution and the address should be given and we will help them to deliver to the targeted group."
