MIRI – Netizens are calling for those involved in the fast-food promotion fiasco at a McDonald’s outlet in Sibu to be punished with the maximum fine.
They say the people, who violated health restrictions by crowding around the outlet, must be penalised, along with the outlet’s operator, who allegedly allowed large crowds to converge for the launch of its BTS promotion on Wednesday.
“The food operator and those lining up in big crowds had openly defied movement control SOPs,” said resident Thomas Santiago.
“They must be penalised with the maximum fines,” he said in his social media chats with state Assistant Minister for Public Health Dr Annuar Rapaee.
Another resident, Sara Benika, said the crowd had endangered the safety of others through their defiant attitude.
“It was clearly seen that they were not bothered about the pandemic,” she said.
“They are a danger to themselves and others as they could cause more infections. The authorities must act sternly.”
Another netizen, Kulan Sandak, said it would be difficult to effectively enforce any SOPs if the people can get away with such serious acts of open disregard.
Dr Annuar said the authorities are probing into the incident.
He had also expressed shock and sadness at the attitude of the people who had gathered in large crowds and long queues just to buy a McDonald’s promotion meal amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many people are upset and angry over the incident that occurred two days ago in the town centre, he said.
Dr Annuar, who is also Nangka assemblyman and Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee coordinator, said the town is already being ravaged by Covid-19, yet people are gathering en masse for fast-food promos.
“Our medical frontliners are already struggling to cope with so many Covid-19 cases daily and here we have people endangering themselves and others just for fast-food meals.
“There are frontliners who have to sacrifice their meals daily in order to handle urgent cases and we have people who are concerned about fast-food,” he said on Facebook last night.
Dr Annuar said Sibu folk must stop adding to the scores of infections the town is seeing daily.
He said Sibu has been seeing a triple-digit surge in Covid-19 cases and more deaths in recent weeks.
Sibu Hospital is also operating beyond its capacity, he said.
He appealed to Sibu folk to be considerate and stop engaging in risky behaviour that could worsen the situation.
Sibu, as well as Kuching, Miri and Bintulu, are the worst-hit districts in Sarawak in terms of numbers of infections and fatalities caused by Covid-19. – The Vibes, May 28, 2021
