KUALA LUMPUR: Food delivery riders are calling for the government to extend food businesses' operating hours until 10pm during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
They are also calling for financial aid from the government to stay afloat pending the conclusion of the MCO.
Delivery rider Hafsham Saffuan, 30, said their orders for dinners, for instance, had significantly declined following the business curfew.
He said that some of the orders only come in as early as 6pm and they only have a short window to fulfil the orders.
Hafsham urged the government to seriously consider extending the operating hours for those in the food business.
"We will be grateful if business hours for food operators are to be extended."
Gimmart delivery rider Lokman Madinah, 41, echoed Hafsham's sentiments and said most riders were broke.
"Many of us have been running low on cash. We are affected."
He said that a one-off aid would be helpful, apart from a loan moratorium until the end of the year.
Foodpanda rider Muhammad Anif Sakarai Ghani, 29, said the current 8pm business curfew hindered many who worked as delivery riders full time.
"Those who had to take unpaid leave or left their full-time jobs following the lockdown are now taking up food delivery to sustain their income. The overall business curfew has led to fewer orders."
Earlier today, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that Phase One of Movement Control under the National Recovery Plan (NRP) will be extended.
He said phase one was extended as the number of Covid-19 cases in the country had not dipped below the threshold value of 4,000 per day required to move to the next phase.
Covid-19 cases today is still above the 5,000-mark at 5,586.