KUALA LUMPUR – Some 900 Covid-19 infections as of April 15 have been linked to individuals who have either visited the 22 Ramadan bazaars marked to close tomorrow or caught the virus from other bazaar visitors.
In a statement today, the Housing and Local Government Ministry said the closure will take effect for three days to allow the government to tighten standard operating procedures and carry out sanitisation works.
Currently, there are 1,073 bazaars in operation across the country.
The ministry said the decision was reached based on MySejahtera data collected by the Hotspot Identification by Dynamic Engagement (HIDE) system developed by Bank Negara Malaysia and the Health Ministry.
“The affected bazaars are identified as high-risk areas that can be the cause of a Covid-19 outbreak. The HIDE report has shown that there are many close contacts among bazaar visitors and traders.”
Local authorities have also been advised to tighten SOP enforcement at the bazaars.
It was reported that 22 Ramadan bazaars across the country have been ordered to close starting tomorrow following the surge in Covid-19 cases in those areas.
Eight Ramadan bazaars in Penang are affected: MPKK Jalan Tenggiri and Attakwa Taman Bertam Indah in Seberang Prai; Bazar Ramadhan and Iftar Ramadan Jalan Bukit Bintang 2021 under MBPP/MBSP; and four others in the island – Kg Melayu, Masjid Daerah Barat Daya, Bukit Gedung and Taman Tun Sardon.
Johor also sees four of its bazaars shut – Belatuk Taman Scientex in Pasir Gudang, Lok Heng, in Kota Tinggi and Johor Baru’s Jalan Mata Kuching (Kg Pasir) and Mart Kempas.
Kedah’s Taman Selasih (Kulim) and Baling’s Baling 2021 and Kupang 2021 bazaars are among the affected.
The bazaars in Puncak Jalil in Subang Jaya and Cempaka LRT station in Ampang Jaya, Selangor, have been told to close while the ones in Taman Setiawangsa and Jalan Raja Alang, Kuala Lumpur, share the same fate.
Temerloh’s bazaars in Lurah Semantan and Temerloh Jaya, Pahang, as well as Perak’s Bazar Nenas Kg Selabak in Teluk Intan will be closed. – The Vibes, April 30, 2021
