The Kuching Divisional Health Office had issued the reopening order of five (5) MPP markets and trading places namely the 3rd Mile Market, 7th Mile Market, 10th Mile Market, Desa Wira Temporary Hawker Centre and Cat’s Walk Street Market at Kuching City Mall with effect from, Thursday, 9th September 2021, said Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) Chairman, Lo Khere Chiang.

Lo said however, the Cat’s Walk Street Market at Kuching City Mall is unable to open as the operator and his management team is under quarantine until 15 September 2021. The Cat’s Walk Street Market at Kuching City Mall will reopen thereafter. Prior to this, all the above-mentioned markets and hawker centres were issued with the closure order from 3rd September 2021 until further notice.

“MPP had adhered and enforced KKM’s directive and closure order. All the hawkers from the five markets and trading places went for a swab test and quarantined themselves until the tests results were out. The hawkers had cooperated as they understood that the closure was done taking into consideration the safety of the hawkers themselves, their families and the rakyat.The hawkers updated MPP after the swab test results were out and the Council constantly informed the Division Health Office on the test results. The Council also carried out thorough cleaning and disinfection of the markets and trading places. With the thorough disinfection of the markets and the swab test results, MPP then applied to the Kuching Divisional Health Office for the reopening of the markets and trading places,” he said.

MPP, he said, would like to thank the Kuching Divisional Health Office for their understanding and consideration of the Council’s appeal for the hawkers who are tested negative for Covid-19 to resume their business. This proactive effort of the Council is none other than for the benefit of the people.

“As we are in the post vaccination era and living with the virus, in order to minimize disruptions and closures of markets in future, the Council has formulated a procedure on the handling of covid-19 cases in the markets. The Council has and will monitor any hawker infected with covid-19 and will immediately demand that close contacts such as the stall assistants and nearby hawkers to go for a swab test failing which they will be unable to trade. This way, we will be able to prevent the spread of covid-19 and the closure of the market. Advice will also be sought from the Kuching Divisional Health Office and the Council shall work closely with the Kuching Divisional Health Office and Enforcement Agencies to keep covid-19 cases down not only in the markets but in the whole of MPP area. In order to minimise more disruption in the future, routine self-testing may become our norm from now onwards in order to manage the spread of covid-19”, he added.

MPP understands that our hawkers want to be able to trade every day to earn a livelihood. Everyone wants the economic sectors to be open and vibrant. Everyone has a responsibility to help reduce the spread of Covid-19. Fighting Covid-19 is our joint responsibility. The Council shall continuously monitor and ensure our markets and trading places are clean and safe for all. Our traders and hawkers, members of the public including the economic sectors are once again reminded to continue and step up our efforts in observing and complying with the SOPs. This is in order to keep the economic sectors open and ensure all are safe.

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