LABUAN – Most eateries on the duty-free-island here have been enforcing a new policy of allowing only fully vaccinated individuals to dine in since last week.
Random checks in the town centre showed food and beverage outlet operators were of the view that strict implementation of the policy would help ensure continuity of business activities.
Labuan Disaster Management Committee chairman Rithuan Ismail said a briefing on the Covid-19 Free Labuan Green Zone was held last Friday with the Labuan Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Labuan Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and nearly 100 members of the business community.
“The briefing was conducted by the Labuan Health Department and National Security Council on the importance of allowing dining in only to fully vaccinated customers.
“The policy will help the continuity of their business operations. We never know as infections might come from unvaccinated customers. This will also help us move towards Labuan becoming a Covid-19 green zone,” he said today.
Living Room restaurant and bistro managing director Balvir Singh said the new policy would greatly help Labuan’s Covid-19 task force contain the spread of infections.
“We are obliged to help the Labuan Covid-19 task force contain the pandemic, which is still far from over. We feel the strict policy we have just implemented today will help fence-sitters here get vaccinated,” he said when contacted.
Balvir, who is also a Labuan Indian Chamber of Commerce committee member, said all Living Room staff had been fully vaccinated.
“Our chamber had appealed to the federal government in July to consider allowing customers who have been fully vaccinated to dine in at the island’s F&B outlets.
“We must thank the government for the relaxation as the flexibility will greatly help F&B operators stay afloat during this pandemic period,” he said.
Checks at other restaurants, including an eatery selling fish soup at the Paragon commercial complex, showed that they had also imposed the new policy and did not receive any complaints from customers.
They checked the vaccination status of customers at the main door through the MySejahtera apps on their smartphones, and accepted printed vaccination certificates too.
Most eateries are imposing a blanket rule allowing only two people per table. These include fast food chains McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and KFC.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced yesterday that dining in would be allowed for fully vaccinated individuals from tomorrow in states that have transitioned out of Phase 1 of the National Recovery Plan. – Bernama, August 9, 2021
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