Ting checks out a stall selling mouth-watering barbeque food at the night market while (from left) Michael and Albert look on.
SIBU (Apr 9): The 115 new Covid-19 cases recorded in Sibu today might be the reason why folk have shied away from visiting the popular night market at Butterfly Garden here which reopens tonight.
Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting said that there were not so many people at the night market tonight.
“There are not many people (at the night market tonight). I think it is due to the announcement today that there are 115 Covid-19 cases (in Sibu). I think this is human nature.
“As for traders, only 51 out of 82 traders are operating tonight. There is a total of 164 traders in the night market, where each night, 82 will be trading,” Ting told reporters when met after visiting the night market here tonight.
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Ting added that out of the 115 cases that were recorded in Sibu, based on the list of locations exposed to Covid-19 positive cases, they were all over town.
“So, I just want to advise the public if they come to the night market, please practise the standard operating procedures (SOP). Don’t go to crowded areas.
“If you see many people buying things -– don’t go too near. Queue up and wait for your turn. That is my message to them,” he said.
He pointed out that Covid-19 was now in the community and the public needed to practise SOP to keep the disease at bay.
Ting admitted that reopening the night market was a tough decision for the council to make.
“It was a very tough decision whether to open (the night market) or not. But I am happy that SMC Market and Petty Traders Standing Committee worked together with the staff to open this place,” Ting said, adding that he learned from several traders that their income had been affected during the closure of the night market.
“I am happy for all the traders because I asked several of them and they said they did not do anything (during the closure of the night market). So, there is no income. This is the problem with the pandemic, where if we continue to continue close the place then, what will happen to their livelihood. There is need to look at both the safety and economic aspects,” he said.
Hence, he said it is imperative that everyone practises the SOP to break the chain of Covid-19.
Towards this end, he hoped that the government could get as many people vaccinated as possible.
Turning to those members of the public yet to register for the vaccination programme, he advised them to do so promptly.
“Don’t think anymore. Get yourself register for the vaccination programme so that you can lead a normal life,” Ting stressed.
The night market has been closed since Jan 16 following the imposition of Movement Control Order (MCO) to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The night market operates from 6pm till 10pm daily.
Accompanying Ting during the visit to the night market were political secretary to the Chief Minister Michael Tiang and SMC Market and Petty Traders Standing Committee chairman, Councillor Albert Tiang.
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