Town council forced to disperse traders at open-air market

(FMT) – Council officers in Kuala Langat, Selangor were forced to go to ground this morning to disperse traders at an outdoor market, in fulfilling Putrajaya’s movement control order to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The Kuala Langat District Council (MDKL) said it would also lodge police reports if the traders continued defying the directive.

This morning, an MDKL enforcement vehicle used loudspeakers to tell traders and public at a pasar tani to disperse.

An MDKL spokesman told FMT that some 20 to 30 traders packed up and dispersed within half an hour.

The pasar tani is typically open daily and attracts large crowds for its fresh stock of raw food.

“We can only give a warning for now and issue notices, because the movement control order is under the jurisdiction of the police,” the spokesman said.

“If they continue to do it, we will lodge a police report, but any member of the public can also do so.”

He warned that traders who failed to abide by the Covid-19 measures could see their licences revoked.

Meanwhile, pictures, and videos of people gathering or eating in restaurants have been making their rounds despite the movement control order.

The order comes into effect at midnight today, and expires on March 31.

Schools, government and businesses premises are also closed, and only essential services such as provisional stores and supermarkets, banks, pharmacies as well as the utilities sector will operate as usual.

Under the order, restaurants are allowed to remain open but only for take-aways and deliveries.