Melaka allows eating at food premises from Friday

MELAKA, June 3 -- The Malacca state government has begun allowing eating in food premises without buffet meals starting this Friday (June 5), said Chief Minister Datuk Sulaiman Md Ali.

He said the decision was made today at the Melaka COVID-19 Special Committee Meeting chaired by the State Housing, Local Government and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Ghafaar Atan.

He said it took into account the current situation of the COVID-19 outbreak in Malacca which is showing improvement with the number of positive cases having dropped to just one figure over the past few weeks.

"Eating on the premises is allowed at all restaurants or eateries including mamak restaurants, food courts, hawker centres, roofed street eateries, kiosks and cafes at hotels starting this Friday but buffet will not be allowed.

"However, the authorisation given is still subject to compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the relevant authorities including the Ministry of Health and the National Security Council (MKN)," he said in a statement here today

He said non-premise businesses or hawkers such as food trucks, travelling hawkers and roadside hawkers (temporary) would continue with take-aways or deliveries only as stipulated by the MKN SOP.

He said the on-premises layout would have to comply with the SOP, which is a two-metre distance between the tables to allow social distancing of at least one metre to be practiced.

Sulaiman said each desk could seat no more than four customers and the premises needed to clearly state the number of customers allowed at a time to meet social distancing requirements.

He said operating permits for business premises were also limited to 10 pm, including premises allowed to operate 24 hours before the implementation of the Movement Control Order on March 18.

-- BERNAMA