KUALA LUMPUR: AN estimated 80 per cent of 200 pasar malam operating in the city may not reopen as traders find it difficult to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in running their businesses.
Traders said this would affect the iconic Lorong TAR (Tuanku Abdul Rahman) night market.
Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman Hawkers and Traders Association chairman Azkhalim Suradi said most night market operators and traders would rather wait out the recovery stage before resuming business after Aug 31.
"This is because many people feel that some SOPs are too restrictive for this kind of activity.
"Gating or relocating, social distancing of 1.5m between people and the barring of children below 13 will not work for a pasar malam setting that is a family-based social activity.
"Most pasar malam are held along the streets and cannot be gated, including Lorong TAR. There are insufficient closed public venues like community halls near our original locations to accommodate us."
He predicted at least 80 per cent of night markets would suspend operations, with traders extending their stay at home.
Azkhalim said this sentiment was evident at a meeting on SOPs held with City Hall recently, where 90 per cent of the 200 night markets in the city were represented.
City Hall said only 10 markets had submitted applications to resume business, of which seven were night markets. Three were approved on the condition they relocate to new sites.
"This was very telling as many of us have had no income for more than two months," Azkhalim said.
He earlier said many traders had undertaken huge investments, including loans and mortgages, to do business at Ramadan bazaars, but now the stock was lying at home.
Those who migrated the businesses online did so at the last minute and were barely surviving, what more recovering losses, he said.
The situation was inevitable, he added, as the pandemic was unprecedented and the government was trying to ease the people's burden.
Azkhalim called on the government to relook at the idea of disbursing RM500 cash aid to poor petty traders which it had done some time back.
"Maybe this aid could be given twice or three times until the Recovery Movement Control Order ends to lift their burden."
City Hall, in a statement, said all open markets must get their proposed SOPs approved before reopening from tomorrow onwards.
Until then, no open markets would be allowed to operate.
The police and the Health Ministry would be roped in to process the approvals alongside the authority under a special committee set up for the purpose.
It also said the approvals for three new pasar malam sites were based on compliance with the current SOPs. The night markets are in Batu, Seri Petaling and Kepong.
It said all applications for open markets, including bazaria and morning markets, must include an application letter, a site proposal and layout plan.
"City Hall and the police would monitor the markets once they are set up and if traders or visitors are found to flout the SOPs, they (the businesses) would be closed immediately."
The Licensing & Petty Traders Development Department told the New Sunday Times in a statement that gating was not compulsory and that markets could operate without the restriction if they could control the perimeter.
However, it recommended gating as it was a better method to ensure SOPs related to social distancing were complied with.
On June 6, Defence Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said public markets could resume operations from tomorrow. This included open markets, morning markets, night markets and bazaria. He said the operating hours were from 6am to 11am for morning wet markets, 4pm to 10pm for night markets and 5pm to 11pm for bazaria.
Only takeaway is allowed at these markets and stalls must be erected 1.5m to 2m apart.
The market must be located in an open area with fencing to allow one-way entrance and traders must use Personal Protective Equipment, gloves and face masks.