GEORGE TOWN: Certain services are now given an exemption to operate for two days in a week during the enforcement of the movement control order (MCO).
Starting from April 6 but only on Mondays and Thursdays (from 8am until 2pm), botanist shops selling fertilisers and pesticides, hardware outlets, pet shops, and spare parts shops are allowed to operate, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow announced today.
He said the exemptions were accorded in view of the need for households to conduct maintenance work as the MCO heads into its third week.
Chow added that the State Safety and Security Council has also barred the setting up of Ramadan bazaars for this year’s fasting period in view of the threat that Covid-19 continues to pose.
There are close to 100 infections with one fatality in Penang since the Covid-19 outbreak was first detected here three months ago.
Chow also thanked the Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian religious movements for their cooperation in refraining from praying in places of worship during this testing period of the MCO because of the highly communicable virus.
“The effort to break the transmission of the virus chain requires the support of every one,“ Chow said in his daily briefing carried on Facebook.
He disclosed that 1,392 welfare recipients would be receiving their one-off cash assistance of RM500 each as promised under the Penang Aid Package by April 10.
Hawkers, who have registered for aid, would be receiving RM500 each after April 15, while monetary help for tour guides was also disbursed on Thursday.
“The state understands the difficulties which Penangites are facing. Hence, it is our intention to channel all aid immediately. I am targeting a 100% completion of the Penang Aid Package by the second week of April.”
Penang also received donations from Tenaga Nasional Berhad and developer, Tamarins Group Sdn Bhd, of around RM2.2 million for its Covid-19 fund.
