KUALA LUMPUR: Twenty-two Ramadan Bazaars at Covid-19 high-risk areas have been ordered to shut effective tomorrow (May 1) amid rising number of infections in the country.
In a letter dated April 30, the Housing and Local Government Ministry said the decision was made following a Special National Security Council Meeting held on April 28.
The 22 bazaars identified were located in Penang (eight), Johor (four), Kedah (three), Pahang (two), Selangor (two), Kuala Lumpur (two) and Perak (one).
"The ministry has received a report from HIDE (Hotspot Identification by Dynamic Engagement), Bank Negara which detected the risk of Covid-19 spread in Ramadan Bazaars (at several areas).
"The risk of Covid-19 spread (at these 22 bazaars) was identified following contact tracing analysis conducted by the Health Ministry via MySejahtera," said the letter that was sighted by the New Straits Times.
It was signed by the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Zainal Abidin Abu Hassan.
The letter further noted that the move to shut down the Ramadan Bazaars was needed to minimise the risk of transmission and prevent the number of Covid-19 cases increasing.