PETALING JAYA: A group of 21 opposition MPs, including former ministers and deputy ministers, today called on Putrajaya to review its decision to allow food and beverage outlets to operate until 8pm during the latest rounds of movement restrictions.
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In a joint statement, they said these outlets should be allowed to operate until the stipulated time in their respective licences.
This is in view that such outlets do not allow patrons to dine in, and customers are only allowed “takeaways” or purchase food from a drive-through or have it delivered to their doorstep from 6am to 8pm
The period in which the government allowed these premises to operate, they argued, made it difficult for people to buy food after working hours.
“Allowing F&B outlets to operate until their stipulated closing times will help their businesses and generate income for those in the food delivery service.
“It would also encourage the people to stay at home as they can order food even after 8pm,” they said in a statement.
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Among the signatories are former ministers Darell Leiking, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Khalid Samad and Teresa Kok as well as former deputy ministers Azis Jamman, Dr Lee Boon Chye and Hannah Yeoh.
The group also urged the National Security Council to revamp the standard operating procedure on the operating hours as it was affecting the income of those who run such businesses.
They called for the moratorium on bank loans to be extended for another six months.
“Compared to the first MCO, the business community is affected even more as they still have to pay rent and salaries of their workers,” they said.
On Jan 13, the government announced that five states – Selangor, Penang, Melaka, Johor and Sabah – and the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya would go under the movement control order for two weeks.
On Jan 16, Kelantan was also placed under MCO until Jan 26.-FMT