ALL foreign workers at dine-in places approved by both the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) and the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) have to undergo mandatory screening for Covid-19.
MBSP mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said this was one of the 14 conditions set by both councils with the approval of the state Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo.
He said they would be visiting eateries to check on them and if any outlet is found flouting the rule, action would be taken.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow announced yesterday that dine-in would be allowed in outlets only in hotels, supermarkets and fast food franchise premises under phase one of the Penang Gradual Recovery Strategy from May 15 (Friday).
“For now, dine-ins are not allowed in kopitiam (coffee shop) or restaurants not under the three categories mentioned. Only takeaways are allowed,” Rozali said in a Q&A live session via MBSP Facebook today.
“If the Covid-19 situation gets better and better, I am sure they will be given permission for dine-ins.”
It is also in accordance with Putrajaya’s ruling that all foreign workers, be it in construction, manufacturing or commercial sector, have to take a swab test.
The 14 conditions set by MBSP and MBPP are as below:
- Covid-19 screening test for foreign workers.
- Record custormers’ names and phone numbers (contact tracing).
- Face mask – employee (mandatory), customer (strongly encouraged).
- Sterilise all food utensils after use.
- All cutlery, sauces, etc are to be served by waiter/waiteress.
- Food sharing equipment is not allowed.
- Time limit control & number of customers does not exceed 50% capacity.
- Table should be 2 metres apart with another table.
- Social distancing of 1 metre of each other.
- Buffet is not allowed.
- Use of hand sanitiser.
- The table should always be cleaned with disinfectant
- A one-metre line to separate from the payment counter.
- Encourage cashless transactions.
For contact tracing, Rozali said the state government had just approved the the Penang Contact Tracer or PGCARE application and MBSP has already started using it.
“Shop owners who have downloaded the app do not need to register the customers’ names in a book. What the customers need to do is to scan the QR code and enter their details before entering the premises.
“The information will only be used to call the customer if there is a case of someone being infected with Covid-19 in the same eatery on the same day,” Rozali explained.
For details, visit https://pgcare.my/
Rozali also called on the eateries’ owners to ensure that their workers wear face masks.
“I have personally seen and chastised restaurant employees for not wearing face masks. Their droplets may not be seen and worse still if they contain the virus. So, restaurant owners must not take this (wearing of face mask) lightly.
In reply to questions posed by the public, Rozali said food trucks and licenced roadside stalls have been permitted to open for business but they must not cluster around. He advised them to be 10 feet apart from each other.
On another matter, he said although MBSP counters were reopened today, he urged Seberang Perai residents to use online platforms whenever possible to do transactions with MBSP.
Rozali also thanked EcoWorld for donating food items to MBSP frontliners. EcoWorld was represented by its divisional general manager Chan Soo How.
In an earlier press conference held in Komtar, Jagdeep said dine-ins were allowed in hotels, supermarkets and food franchise outlets first to assess the CMCO compliance.
Jagdeep said the state has always prioritised public health and safety as the state gradually opens up more sectors.
He added that there are a total of 13 supermarkets on the island and 21 on the mainland that were allowed for dine-ins.
MBPP mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang, who was also present, urged Penangites to continue giving their cooperation to the SOP so that the virus could be contained
Story by Danny Ooi
Pix courtesy of MPSP