KUCHING: Quiet and empty, the most visited dining destination in the city, the Kubah Ria Commercial Complex, has turned to a vacant building in compliance with the Covid-19 movement control order (MCO).
A check by New Sarawak Tribune in the evening of day 11 yesterday here, at the complex area located nearby the riverbank of Sungai Sarawak found all food and drinks stalls and shops were closed except Wija Pharmacy.
Such hiatus was then further emphasised with unoccupied parking spaces in front of the complex as these usually would be full and some had to park vehicles at the roadside.
It was a common practice on pay day where the complex would be filled with people throng for dining and stalls offering entertainments.
But yesterday, sellers and customers were seen wearing face masks while distancing themselves from each other.
According to two security personnel, the food stalls were already closed since the first day of the restriction movement order.
“The food stalls here did not open for takeaways. I think because if they open the stalls, it could attract many people and cause some kind of gathering,” said a security personnel who wanted to be known as Marzuki.
Marzuki, who was accompanied by his colleague Awang, said people only came for buying medications and safety equipment like face masks and hand sanitisers at the pharmacy and do not go out in groups.
“Even the presence of people withdrawing cash at the ATM machine here are very little. Those lining up also have been practising social distancing by waiting for their turns outside. Some also wait in their cars too,” he said.
They also said that the police were also patrolling the place.
“The police also check on us. And I believe that they do the checking after 7pm because we will only start to guard this place from 7am till 7pm, the same as the pharmacy which only opens up to 6pm,” Awang said.
Upon further checks at the complex, a shop assistant at Wija Pharmacy said people mostly came searching for face mask and hand sanitiser.
She said these are hot selling items and opined that some of the customers were quite irresponsible when panic buying.
“We have to limit these two items when selling it to customers. Like this morning, we stocked masks on the shelves around 9am and before 12 noon, it is all gone.
“It really saddened us. I think we should not be panic buying because we need to think about those who are unfortunate,” she said.
She added that the customers have become more responsible by practising social distancing.
“Even the workers here have been distancing themselves from each other. There were only about three of us working today,” she said.
