KOTA KINABALU – Eatery owners here find it ridiculous that they are not permitted to have a meal on their own premises, but do not dare defy the authorities.
A restaurant manager, who wanted to be known only as Chin, said the ruling does not make sense, especially since most of his employees do not live near the outlet, which is located in Kepayan.
“The boss usually picks them up in town (Kota Kinabalu), where they are given accommodation near Kg Air.
“Basically, they have no choice but to eat at the restaurant as going back home for lunch or dinner is time-consuming,” he told The Vibes.
Jimmy Paul, a cook in Lido, finds the situation awkward.
The restaurant where he works has a sizeable dine-in area, but Paul and his colleagues have no choice but to eat in the open-air space behind the premises.
“It is like I am being treated as a second-class citizen,” he said in jest.
Sabah has banned dine-ins, but the move has caused confusion after eatery owners and workers, too, were barred from eating on the premises.
Warisan vice-president Datuk Junz Wong said food operators have been harassed by enforcement personnel, while Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali pointed out that dining inside such outlets is a violation of Covid-19 lockdown rules.
Fara Ramsah, who owns a café in Bandar Prima Mile 4, Sandakan, said the ruling is ridiculous.
“I think the Sabah police commissioner has no idea how to operate an eatery.
“We have already stopped customers from dining in, so the area is empty.
“I do not see any risk of people getting infected if my employees eat in the dining area.”
She believes that Hazani’s statement is aimed at offenders, namely restaurant owners who secretly allow dine-in customers.
“We have a WhatsApp group of Sandakan restaurant owners, and they all have the same opinion.
“Nevertheless, we will obey the instruction, as we do not want to get compounded.
“I have prepared a table for my employees behind the restaurant, outside.”
Mile 7 eatery operator Izrul Ibrahim said the directive is not a big problem, but has led to confusion.
“Being constantly in the kitchen, I am already used to having my meals around the workstations since there is no such thing as breaks during work.
“If the instruction is to avoid customers pretending to be workers, then the shop’s attendance list can clarify this.
“For restaurant owners to receive a compound over this is utter nonsense, especially when our business and cash flow are dwindling.” – The Vibes, June 6, 2021
Additional reporting by Rebecca Chong
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