OPERATIONAL hours for eateries during the fasting month will remain from 8am to 8pm, said senior minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Public transportation hours, however, will be extended by one hour in the evenings beginning from 4pm, instead of 5pm, until 10pm, he said at the daily briefing on the movement-control order (MCO) today.

For eateries, the defence minister and National Security Council spokesman said the government does not want people taking advantage of longer opening hours during the fasting month, which is expected to begin tomorrow.

“The same SOP (standard operating procedures) are to be maintained as during the first and second phase of the MCO, as we want to restrict movement. 

“It is easy for infections to take place and harder for us to detect if there is too much movement,” Ismail Sabri said.

He was responding to a question on whether restaurants will be allowed to open longer during the fasting month.

“If we extend the hours, people will take advantage unnecessarily and go out until 10pm. This makes it harder for the police to control.

“Just buy what you need during the operating hours,” he added.

During the fasting, Muslims can only eat between sunset and sunrise.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said the additional hour for operations starting at 4pm applies to KTM commuter trains, the LRT, MRT and KL Monorail, as well as rapid buses, all feeder busses and also free busses such as the GoKL and Smart Selangor services.

“The change to operation hours is to help public transport users who are fasting,” Wee said in a statement.

The additional hour also applies to public land transport services in Sabah and Sarawak but the state governments have the authority to decide on what is most suitable for people there, Wee added. – April 23, 2020.