By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, March 24: Drinks such as kopi-o and kopi, and food such as chicken rice are the most popular takeaways for a foodcourt at Tabuan Tranquility here.
This is amidst the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) where patrons are only allowed to order takeaways from eateries and restaurants.
Food court drink operator Tan Kay Ho said apart from food, there were also customers taking away drinks, with the most popular orders being kopi-o, kopi, milk tea and other canned drinks.
Despite a sharp drop in business, Tan agreed with the implementation of MCO, adding that everyone could obey the order and get the MCO “done and over with”.
“But there are still those who disobey the order and roam around town in the middle of the night,” Tan told DayakDaily.
Taiwanese mixed rice stall operator Ha said business has dropped by half.
Tan said due to the huge drop in business, the foodcourt which used to have over 32 staff (15 in the morning shift, 17 in the afternoon) per day, is now operating on six staff per day, with three in the morning and afternoon shifts respectively.
Tan’s colleague, foodcourt operation manager Aiman, revealed that business has dropped by 95 per cent.
He said the decline in business was inevitable due to the Covid-19 pandemic and praised enforcement officers who have been carrying their duties diligently and with discipline, even in the middle of the night.
“We have been operating 24-hours. So we are providing an avenue for the enforcement officers to have access to drinks in the middle of the night,” said Aiman.
Chicken rice stall operator at the foodcourt, Harry, said business has been as usual with his stall selling out chicken rice by the time night falls.
“Our rice is well liked. Like usual, our sales have maintained,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Taiwanese mixed rice stall operator known only as Ha said his business has been affected badly.
“I think it’s (sales) down by at least 50 per cent,” he said. — DayakDaily
