KUALA LUMPUR: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) will submit an application to the National Security Council (MKN) in the near future to obtain permission and flexibility for caterers to resume operations for small-scale weddings.

Its Deputy Minister Datuk Rosol Wahid said it was estimated that more than 20,000 catering operators nationwide were currently affected because they had to face the cancellation of wedding celebrations by customers besides not receiving any bookings during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) and Conditional MCO (CMCO).

“Although social celebrations and gatherings cannot be held during the MCO and CMCO to ensure that the government's efforts in breaking the chain of COVID-19 transmissions are successful, the ministry saw that there was room for catering operators to be allowed to return to their livelihood.

Among others, permission to hold weddings with a capacity limit of 250 people in public locations such as halls by ensuring strict compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) such as physical distancing, wearing face masks, using sanitisers, conducting body temperature checks, registering attendees and other guidelines set by MKN,” he said after conducting a survey on SOP compliance operation for Trade and Distribution Sector, here, yesterday.

However, Rosol, said the ministry felt the permission to hold weddings at home still needed a detailed study due to difficulties to ensure the ceremony was in compliance with strict SOPs.

At the event, he also received a 'pledge' from the Association of Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Operators (PRESMA) to express support and confidence that its members are committed to ensure over 4,500 restaurants operated by them comply with the SOPs.



-- BERNAMA