KUALA LUMPUR: All restaurants, eateries, stalls, fast food outlets and food delivery services are allowed to operate until 6am in light of the Ramadan fasting month which starts tomorrow.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this special permission by the National Security Council (NSC) is only given for the month of Ramadan.
However, the operation hours of restaurants and eateries in shopping malls are subject to the respective mall's operation hours.
Ismail Sabri said the temporary operating hours was for the people's convenience, especially those who are single, so they can get their pre-dawn meals (sahur) before fasting.
He also said the NSC would allow the hosting of "buka puasa" events and Ramadan buffets, albeit under strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
"In areas under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), the host must ensure that the event only occupies 50 per cent of the venue's capacity while in Recovery Movement Control Order (CMCO) areas, 100 per capacity is allowed but physical distancing must still be practised.
"Tables must be distanced 2m apart for the buka puasa and buffet sessions. The entry and exit points must be labelled clearly. Registration counters must be set up for visitors to register manually or via MySejahtera registration and to check their body temperature.
"Sanitisation and disinfection must also be conducted before and after the majlis berbuka puasa or buffet sessions.
"For buffet sessions, hosts are required to allot more serving points for visitors to avoid congestion. The food must also be served by the waiters during these sessions," he said during a Facebook live session, here, today.
Ismail Sabri also said that mosques and surau are allowed to hold terawih prayers and all other religious activities.
However, he said the respective state governments will announce the SOP for religious activities as Islamic affairs fall under their purview.