Allow Night Markets To Open Says Lembah Pantai Mp

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Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil says many night market traders will go bankrupt if they are unable to carry on their business. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil has called for night markets to be allowed to operate during the movement control order (MCO).
Noting that morning markets and farmers’ markets have been allowed to carry out business during the MCO, Fahmi warned that many night market traders could soon face bankruptcy.
“Many night market traders were affected throughout 2020 due to the MCO, conditional MCO and recovery MCO,” he said on his Facebook page.
“Their incomes plummeted, they don’t have many opportunities, and (government) aid has not been enough.
“This year, with MCO 2.0 not necessarily ending on Feb 4, night market traders are worried about their fate.”
Fahmi, the PKR communications director, said the government can help night markets without necessarily loosening existing standard operating procedures.
Apart from reducing the number of lots for night market traders to prevent overcrowding, he said they can also change their operating hours.
“For example, if night markets are usually from 5pm to 10pm, there are entrepreneurs who are willing to change the time from 2pm to 7pm. The important thing is that they have an opportunity to do business,” he said.
Fahmi also said night market traders who have valid licences could also be included into the wage subsidy programme.
If the government did not agree to allowing night market traders to operate physically, he said, they could embark on a “e-night market” pilot project where business could be carried out virtually with the help of delivery platforms and e-commerce players such as Grab, Foodpanda and Shopee.
“Give incentives to traders and entrepreneurs to try different business models,” Fahmi said.
“I am worried that the fate of many night market traders will be further affected without proactive government measures, and something has to be done before these businesses go bankrupt”. - FMT

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