The Malaysian Insight

KEDAH folk are worried that Covid-19 will wreck their lives and the economy as cases surge in the state.

Several residents told The Malaysian Insight that businesses, such as restaurants and wet markets, are affected.

Baling district residents’ welfare organisation president Jhangir Khan Kathem Khan said the cases in Kedah began to increase after the Sabah elections late last month.

“The Covid-19 cases went up after the Sabah elections. Those in Sabah should have quarantined themselves there.

“If they can campaign there for a month, they could have remained there for another two weeks,” he said.

Now with the sharp rise in cases in the state, he is worried that it will affect locals, especially farmers.

“Farmers are the ones who will face problems, especially those who produce vegetables, fruits.

“They not only have to wait for traders or buyers, but also have to market the products to consumers. Since last week, customers have declined so these traders don’t buy much.”

The rise in Covid-19 cases would also cause the wet markets and pasar malam to close at the last minute, leaving them with surplus supplies.

“There are markets that have been instructed to close by the council when they already have supplies.

“The increase in Covid-19 cases is indeed disrupting the local economy.”

Nasi lemak restaurant owner in Pokok Sena, Abu Bakar Habibullah said there are fewer customers this week.

The number of visitors to the restaurant decreased by 50%.

“For the past two weeks, our business has been severely affected. Cases have increased from the Tembok cluster, which is from the prison but people are not venturing outside.

“People are really careful now, you can ask any restaurant owner and they will tell you that customers have decreased.”

Abu Bakar hopes that the government will be able to control this epidemic without the need for a movement-control order again. 

“We (traders) are afraid that the MCO will return. If they want to make it a targeted MCO, then okay.

“I pity traders like us.”

Yesterday, director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah announced 489 new cases of Covid-19 in the country, with the most cases in Sabah (282) and Kedah (153).

In Kedah, 139 cases were from the Tembok cluster in Alor Star prison while 14 other cases were from the Bah Sintok cluster.

So far, until yesterday, there were 1,200 cases in the Kota Setar area where the jail is located. It is the only red zone in the state.

The next area with a large number of cases is Kubang Pasu with 35 cases. Only three out of 11 districts in Kedah are without any cases.

The prison and staff quarters have been placed under the targeted enhanced movement control order (Temco) effective October 4.

Fishermen staying home

National Fishermen’s Association (Nekmat) chairman Abdul Hamid Bahari said fishermen in the state now do not fish as much compared to pre-MCO times.

“As the number of cases increases, people are less likely to go to markets, including fishing markets. I think customers would be less than 50%-60%.

“Fishermen are also not as productive as before. If before this they could get up to one tonne of catch, they have reduced it to only 500kg.”

Some types of fish are sold at cheaper prices so that the catch is not wasted.

“For example, a puffer fish per kilo is RM10, some sell 3kg for RM10.

“Unsold fishes are then sold to fertiliser factories or frozen mills.”

Kuih seller in Pekan Rabu, Alor Star, Muhd Iqbal Saidin said he is worried that he might have to close his shop.

He found it hard to make RM100 per day since the Covid-19 cases increased in Kedah.

“Pekan Rabu depends on foreign tourists so when Temco happened in Kota Setar, we had to close for two weeks.

“And cases have been increasing so much so we struggle to even get RM100 a day now,” he said.

Kubang Pasu Amanah chief Husni Husin said the state government has failed to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

It is also not giving out aid to the needy, he said.

“The state government has failed, even the menteri besar has not taken any action. They don’t even bother informing the people on what steps are to be taken next.”

Echoing the concerns of others, Husni said small traders and business owners have been the most affected since people are staying at home more now.

“The ones who do deliveries, like online deliveries and business have no issues, their business will still run like usual and they will still get customers.

“But the problem is now, a majority of those in Kedah are small traders and farmers. They come from the kampung and have no resources to put their businesses online, so how are they supposed to survive?” – October 8, 2020.