All abuzz after eatery staff told not to eat in customer dine-in areas - The Star Online

PETALING JAYA: Many Malaysians have taken to social media to express their sympathy for restaurant workers, who were told by Sabah police not to have their meals in dining areas meant for customers.

Twitter user @inderasakti_kl questioned: “Why make a simple thing so complicated? Where would they eat?”.

Another Twitter user, @CindyTeamGOT7, questioned why the workers were not allowed to eat in the dining areas while on shift, especially if they were sitting and eating alone.

“It’s the same as eating somewhere else in the restaurant!” she pointed out.

Anita Rajagopal said it was quite unfair to expect workers to hide so they could eat, especially if they had been eating there all this while.

“What does it matter if they eat openly where customers used to eat pre-lockdown? Are they posing a danger to others if all social distancing and SOP are followed?” she asked.

Another user Khairil Anuar said it was better for restaurant employees to dine in the dining area itself due to the bigger space, as well as better air circulation as compared to eating in a confined area.

Seah Mei Qun said rather than asking the workers to hide in order for them to eat, Malaysians should instead “be thankful for their service, and for taking the risk to serve us”.

There are also those who were quick to propose short-term solutions.

Hayani Hassan said authorities should allow eateries to allocate a corner for employees to eat, with clear signages that this was “for staff only” to avoid the wrong impression.

Choco Mila Beidin proposed that if the individuals were able to prove that they were the owner or staff of the eatery, they should be allowed to have their meals properly.

“Even before the No Dine-In instructions, they normally have their meals at vacant tables. Now, where are they expected to eat?”, she asked.

Parameswary Umapam urged the authority to revise and implement a proper SOP for the issue.

“No time to think who is right and wrong. Please don’t simply issue summons on them,” she said

However, in KOTA KINABALU, Sabah police said they had detected cases of coffee shop operators allowing their regular customers to dine by pretending that they were either “workers or staff.”

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali said in one case when the police went to check the premises, the operators told them that the person eating was a staff member.

“When we checked closely, we found out that the person was not a staff member but a customer. The customer had already left,” he said.

Comm Hazani said that was why the police decided to advise restaurant workers and owners not to eat at their regular dine-in areas.

“Of course, you can eat inside your own restaurant or workplace but you can do it in a designated section away from the dining area,” he said, adding that the current SOP did not allow for dine-in during the lockdown.

He urged restaurant operators and workers to comply as police did not want to see certain operators using the main dine-in areas to serve their customers by pretending they were “workers.”

He said they were allowed to eat on restaurant premises but should maintain a designated place.

“The owners must have a proper list of their staff,” he said.

He was responding to complaints by some operators who were issued compounds after they were seen eating in their restaurants recently.

Comm Hazani warned that the police would strictly enforce SOP and would no longer compromise as they did before.

“We have also sent in more enforcement teams to areas with high Covid-19 cases, such as Tawau, Kalabakan, Kunak and Lahad Datu,” he said, adding that cases in Tawau were especially concerning since they were scattered across the district.

He advised the public to stay at home and to only go out for important matters, grocery shopping or to work.

He also said that even if inter-district travel was allowed in areas like Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Putatan, motorists would be asked to turn back and go home should they be found to be travelling for fun.

Comm Hazani said besides roadblocks, police and other enforcement officials were keeping a close watch on parks and houses of worship to ensure that all SOP were strictly adhered to.

“We are still waiting for the list of sectors allowed to open from the International Trade and Industry Ministry so that they can operate without getting police permits,” he added.

On Tuesday (June 1), state police had issued 60 compounds for SOP violations in Sabah.