TRADERS at the Petaling Jaya Jalan Othman wet market and food court are now dealing with the smelly work of cleaning up piles of rotten food and produce after the place was closed and the area put under an enhanced movement-control order (EMCO).

Although the EMCO, which began on May 10, was lifted at midnight on May 21, the market has been closed since April 27 after the discovery of 26 Covid-19 infections.

Vegetable seller Chen Yoke Choon said there is still no news from the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) on when the market can reopen.

Traders are using the time to clean their stalls and dispose of rotting produce, which Chen said is work which could have been avoided if the authorities had not rushed to close the market on April 27 without letting traders clear their stock first.

“The authorities could have been more considerate to inform the traders earlier about the closure, so that they could have moved out the perishable goods,” said the 66-year old.

Faced with a RM2,000 loss since the market closed, Chen said he is now worried about paying for the room he rents near the market and even his meals, which his landlord provided during the market’s closure. 

The landlord also waived rental for one month, but Chen knows his generosity cannot be extended for long.

“Given the amount that I’ve lost and the fact that I can only earn about RM1,000 a month for myself, this is a big loss for me,” said the trader who has been in the business for more than 30 years.

During The Malaysian Insight’s visit to the market recently, contractors were cleaning the premises. 

MBPJ is to conduct an overall clean-up of the place but traders also have to clean their respective stalls, a notice pasted around the market states.

However, no date for the market’s reopening is stated and this uncertainty is what worries Chen.

At the Medan Selera or food court beside the wet market, chicken rice seller Peter Pua, 62, said sellers have no information on when they can resume business.

Like all eateries during the MCO, which began on March 18, he could only offer takeaways but the EMCO meant zero income.

“My profit would be in the range of RM1,000 to RM1,500 per month but under the MCO, I was only making around 30% of that.

“With the EMCO in place, I lost all income,” Pua told The Malaysian Insight. 

Pua, who has been running the stall for more than 20 years, said he would take this few days to clean and clear his shop in preparation for when the council gives them the nod to reopen. 

Stall are also ready to adhere to all standard operating procedures outlined by the government, he said. 

“This food court is under the council. I believe they will come up with the SOP and we will follow them.”

Despite official notice about reopening the market, sundry shop owner Hoe Kim Piew, 58, went ahead to resume business at his shop outside the wet market.

He opened the doors on May 22, a day after the EMCO was lifted.

After two weeks of total lockdown, he lost more than RM1,000 worth of dried produce, such as potatoes, onions, garlic and eggs.

Hoe is selling items near their expiry date at a discount. However, there are few customers.

“Perhaps people are still afraid to come. I’ve barely had five customers since the morning,” he said when met at his shop.

It is still better than staying closed, as what little income he makes is better than nothing, he said.

“Customers coming into our premises must wear masks, write their name and contact details and have their temperatures taken.

“Only then, they will be allowed. I had to do this in order to operate, so that I can cover my losses,” said Piew, who’s been running the shop for 30 years. 

By the time Petaling Jaya Old Town’s EMCO ended, a total of 28 cases were recorded here, 21 of which involved foreigners. Two cases out of the total were detected outside the EMCO area. – May 24, 2020.