Clarence Ting
SIBU (July 18): Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting has reminded food premises operators and their workers that they need to be vaccinated with at least the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine before being allowed to open for dine-in.
He pointed out that this is among the requirements by the authorities for the food sector during Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) in Sarawak.
“In line with the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) decision on the revised SOP (standard operating procedures) for the food sector by Ministry Of Local Government and Housing (MLGH) dated July 15, pertaining to Sarawak moving on to Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan, Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) wish to seek the close cooperation of the food premises operators to strictly comply with SDMC / MLGH requirements.
“Food eatery outlets are allowed to operate dine-in with effect from July 16. Only the operators and their workers who have been vaccinated at least the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine are allowed to operate dine-in,” Ting said in his Facebook post yesterday.
He said based on the revised SOP, the food premises operators must also display the maximum capacity of customers allowed in the premises and the capacity of customers allowed to dine-in is limited to 50 per cent of the floor area and not more than 100 people at one time.
“The maximum number of customers to dine-in on a table is based on the size of the table and that physical distancing must be adhered to at all times.
“That is, two metres between tables and one metre physical distancing for people. The layout must be fixed to ensure compliance to social distancing ruling,” he added.
Besides that, Ting said the existing SOP for operators and customers such as registration of all customers using MySejahtera or manually, temperature measuring, wearing of face mask, using hand sanitisers, among others must continue to be strictly enforced.
Turning to additional requirements for bistro, he said only bistros licensed by SMC and have a kitchen for preparation of food can operate during Phase 2 of the NRP in Sarawak.
However, music and entertainment activities are strictly prohibited at the licensed Bistro premises during operating hours, he added.
Operating hours are from 6am to 10 pm only, except for those specifically mentioned in the SOP.
All premises must be disinfected daily after operation, he stressed.
“The premises must be disinfected if the premises is visited by any Covid-19 patient. The operator and workers exposed need to do RT-PCR test. If any of them are tested positive, the premises should be closed for proper sanitisation under Section 18 (1) (d) of Act 342.
“The premises found with Covid-19 positive case is required to be closed down for 14 days (as decided by SDMC via JPBN Bil 196/2021). The cost of the RT-PCR test and disinfection/ sanitisation should be borne by the operator.
“The operator who failed to comply with the SOP will be compounded. Any premises with repeated offences will be closed for 14 days,” he said.