SIBU: The possible ban on eating in premises following the surge in Covid-19 cases here will once again cause inconvenience to all food and beverage premise operators.
This was pointed out on Sunday by Sibu Coffee Shop and Restaurant Owners Association deputy officer of general affairs, Hii Hiong Siu.
The proposed ban, he added, was unfair to coffee shop owners and their employees who had been adhering to the rules.
“Just because there are some entrepreneurs who have not been following the SOPs, they want to close all the coffee shops here,” he said when commenting on the proposal by Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman councillor Clarence Ting Ing Horh.
Hii added that food operators would face a more difficult situation if only takeaways or packed food operations were allowed.
“Our businesses cannot survive with takeaways or packed food operations only. I hope the authorities will consider taking actions against those who failed to strictly adhere to the SOP only,” he said.
Hii suggested that the MPS enforcement division conduct regular patrols and tighten its enforcement to ensure that all coffee shop operators comply with the SOPs.
He said if the Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) decided to ban eating in the premises to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the district, the association members would accept the decision willingly and would work with the authorities in enforcing the SOPs.
Since August 25, the Sibu district has been recording Covid-19 cases in three digits.
