By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Apr 3: Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has suggested an e-bazaar as an alternative to the traditional Ramadan bazaar in order to prevent people from swarming in one area.
He emphasised that large gatherings or assemblies should be discouraged for the next six months to a year after the Movement Control Order (MCO) has been lifted.
“So for Ramadan bazaar, maybe we need to have more creative and innovative ideas.
“Maybe we can promote e-bazaar Ramadan where food can be delivered to homes and this approach will be in line with the guideline of the Health Ministry which is to prevent mass gathering of people,” he told a daily press conference on Covid-19 in Putrajaya today.
Dr Noor Hisham pointed out that in the first two weeks or first phase of the MCO, there was a 70 per cent increase in food and essential delivery service.
He highlighted this in responding to issues about organising Ramadan bazaars which the Muslim community nationwide looks very much forward to.
“We will have to review about large gatherings after the MCO but which should be discouraged for six months to one year,” he said.
He added that that people’s behaviour and habits will change after the MCO and this will be the new norm to life such as greeting people, washing hands often and social distancing.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob had earlier today informed that Ramadan bazaar would not be allowed as long as the MCO was enforced.
However, he said that if the MCO was lifted, the National Security Council (NSC) will look into whether to allow Ramadan bazaars to be organised or not or if a standard operation procedure (SOP) was needed.
Ramadan is expected to start on April 23, but it has yet to be announced whether the MCO will be extended again amidst a continued detection of Covid-19 cases across the country.—DayakDaily
