The revised SOPs released last night stated that while dining-in will be maintained in Sabah, all eatery operators must ensure only fully vaccinated staff and customers, with a low-risk status on their MySejahtera, enter their premises.
And as for supermarkets and hypermarkets, only customers and workers who have been fully vaccinated are allowed to enter the premises.
Sabah is currently in Phase 2 of the national recovery plan.
West Coast Coffee Shop and Restaurant Association chairman Yong Chee Yun pointed out that eateries will receive the short end of the stick from this ruling because not many people in Sabah have received Covid-19 vaccination, let alone their second jabs.
Despite the state government ramping up the inoculation exercise recently, he said Sabah’s vaccination rate, particularly for people who have obtained both doses, remained the lowest in the country.
“Many of our members have complained that these regulations will cost them dearly because many of their workers have not even received one dose of the vaccine,” he told FMT.
“The same goes for customers, many of whom have only received their first shots. Our member eateries have had to tell customers (with only one dose of vaccination) that they cannot dine in.
“Business is down after the SOPs were released yesterday. But some coffee shop operators have decided to ignore this by allowing anyone in … I have warned them that they are doing this at their own peril.”
As of yesterday, the Sabah health department said 43.9% of the adult population in the state had received their first dose while only 19.6% had completed both doses.
Yong said the dilemma for eatery operators in the state is that many have either non-Malaysian workers or those with permanent residence status.
“If the workers are not holding the red identity cards, they have the IMM13 document (issued to Filipino refugees who escaped to Sabah in the 1970s after unrest in southern Philippines).
“Even if the vaccination centres are allowing walk-in vaccination now, there are just too many people. We are not even sure if the IMM13 card holders are eligible for the free vaccination.
“That’s why we are hoping the government will reconsider this decision,” he said.
Yong also proposed that the government emulate Singapore, which he said allowed open-air eateries to receive all customers, including those yet to be vaccinated.
Meanwhile, Sabah Employers Association president Yap Cheen Boon also questioned the latest SOPs, saying the decision came as a surprise to many.
He said without engagements with the private sector, such health-centric policy measures will result in “economic collateral damage”.
“The state’s adult full vaccination rate currently stands at nearly 20%. Hence, with a stroke of the pen, only 20% of supermarket outlets and eateries will have the approval to open, and in turn receive up to 20% of customers at any time.
“Businesses cannot compel or force employees to be vaccinated. As such, businesses without fully vaccinated staff will be paying the price for actions beyond their control.”
Yap said businesses without fully vaccinated employees should be allowed to operate, with weekly screening tests conducted on employees, paid for by businesses and submitted to the health ministry for monitoring.
“Employees choosing not to be vaccinated for any reason should not enjoy the same benefits as their fully vaccinated colleagues when it comes to salaries or other benefits.”
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