Frustration over MCO food hours returns as restrictions tighten

 

Netizens vent their frustrations over the operating hours of food outlets once again as restrictions tightened under the third movement control order.

This came as the government limits the operating hours of many businesses to start from 8am until 8pm, including eateries.

Yesterday was the first day the restriction was enforced and many restaurants began to close as early as 7.20pm to allow for time to clean up.

Some who are affected by this took to the microblogging service Twitter to express their frustrations on struggling to get food, mostly due to their own work commitments.

One user under the handle @vnlhdx said she could only leave work after 8pm.

“How am I going to get my dinner? Order from Grab every day at around 6pm? For sure their order traffic would be insanely high and I’m not going to be able to get food?

“Do I have to buy food in advance during lunchtime? Heat cold or reheated food every day?”

Another netizen under the handle @Fahmi1155 noted that many frontliners battling the Covid-19 pandemic have to start their morning shifts before 8am, or finish their evening shifts after 8pm.

“If you only allow F&B outlets to operate from 8am to 8pm, what would frontliners eat? Do they think all frontliners have family at home who could cook for them?”

Meanwhile, Twitter user and psychiatrist @Seanthum said he was looking for food yesterday after finishing his referrals and ward cases.

“What’s for dinner? Nothing. All closed,” he said.

He included a screenshot from an app offering food delivery services, but all options had been greyed out because the restaurants are closed.

Cardiologist Dr Beni Rusani said on Twitter: “It’s difficult when the hospital canteen starts at 8am. If it opens earlier I could eat before starting work.”

Several Twitter users took a more light-hearted approach by sarcastically noting that pharmacies are allowed to stay open later until 10pm, such as the netizen @macfaisal.

“If you are hungry after 8pm, just eat medicine.”

Netizen @ikkathillia goes on to suggest, “Pharmacies can earn a side income selling cup noodles at the counter.”

Last Saturday, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced a slew of measures to tighten MCO restrictions, including limiting business hours and the number of people allowed to be present at workplaces. 

Eateries, convenience stores, night markets, fuel stations (except those at highways) and laundry shops are among those that must close by 8pm, but pharmacies are allowed to operate until 10pm.

A similar situation emerged in January when eateries were limited to operate from 6am to 8pm as part of restrictions of the second MCO imposed at the time.

Then, as now, netizens took to Twitter to complain about the inconvenience this had caused, culminating in the hashtag #SiBodohKauDengarSini (Listen here, idiot) becoming “trending” on Twitter.

The government eventually relented and allowed eateries to operate until 10pm beginning Jan 22, and later extended this to other businesses.  - Mkini

✍ Credit given to the original owner of this post : ☕ Malaysians Must Know the TRUTH

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