KUCHING: Although eateries are allowed for dine-in, the people have been encouraged to ‘tapao’ (take away) their food instead of eating out to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Kuching City South Council (MBKS) Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng said that eating at home is much safer than gathering at coffee shops as the risk is there when a person eating in a coffeeshops is positive for the virus.
“All this while we have been encouraging people to take away because for the time being coffee shops or eateries are not a safe place for us to gather.
“You have a choice whether to dine in or take away. Even myself and the ministers take away our food,” he said on Sunday (March 14).
He said having not to eat at eateries or coffee shops is safe for everyone and it will not affect the operators’ business as well.
“Secondly, it will be able to help operators to save cost and thirdly, it will be able to prevent the spread of the virus,” he said.
When asked should the government ban dining in until the situation improves, Wee said the government cannot just do as such as business still has to carry on provided all SOPs are observed.
“There are so many cases of people just sitting next to each other and on the next table and both got the virus. So, do you want to take the risk?” he asked.
He said it is understandable that people like to socialise and sit down in a coffee shop, but again be reminded that now is not the time to do all that.
“So, to me, it should be encouraged (disallow dining in), but to put a stop to it may not be the solution unless people are still stubborn and don’t follow the SOPs, then there is no other choice,” he said.
Having said that, he urged everybody to comply and take the Covid-19 related standard operating procedures (SOPs) seriously.
“Now with the RM10,000 compound for SOP violators, I appeal to everybody to follow strictly the SOPs,” he said.
He added for those being compounded, they can make an appeal if they felt that they are not in the wrong.
“Nothing is above the law, and I am sure the law will give you justice,” he said.
He also said the RM10,000 fine is too high and many could not afford to pay it, and suggested that the authorities look into punishing SOP violators by doing community service like cleaning public places.
“But whatever it is, I leave it to the government. And I think there is always a way to pay the penalties for those who cannot afford, because imagine a student… I don’t think he or she can afford to pay a few thousand, or RM10,000, right?” he said.
