Eatery operators report sales slump

The empty streets at Jalan Gaya as non-essential business premises are not allowed to operate until Oct 20.

KOTA KINABALU: Despite the drastic drop in business, shop operators believe that the implementation of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) is necessary to combat the surge in Covid-19 cases in the state capital.

Many business owners have expressed concern for their own health and safety as the number of infections continues to rise.

The normally congested city centre was relatively empty and quiet on the first day of CMCO yesterday, as premises of non-essential services and goods are closed until Oct 20.

Some eateries were closed too, while the few that chose to open reported that business was slow.

Kedai Kopi Yee Fung owner, Cheng Chew Wang, said he has reduced the amount of ingredients for laksa, beef noodle soup and claypot rice by half in anticipation of fewer customers yesterday.

Kedai Kopi Yee Fung owner Cheng Chew Wang (right) hands takeaway food to a Food Panda delivery rider.

“There is hardly any business in the morning,” he lamented, pointing at the empty Gaya Street.
“We hope business will improve in the later part of the day.”

He said his revenue nowadays had dropped 70 percent since tourists stopped visiting Sabah early this year.

Having been through the Movement Control Order (MCO) imposed in March this year, Cheng said he had gotten used to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for CMCO.

He admitted being worried about contracting Covid-19 as well, given that his coffee shop business required dealing with people daily.

As a precautionary measure, he sanitized his employees thoroughly when they turned up for work in the morning.

He has also slashed his manpower by half during the CMCO period.

“We have 16 employees in total. Eight of them work for three days per week on rotational basis,” he said, adding that his closing time has been revised to 4.30 pm.

Cheng said he would comply with the government’s order to enforce the CMCO but hoped that the restrictions would not last too long as businesses would suffer.

Meanwhile, Suki Wong, who operates Keng Wan Hing at Jalan Pantai, said the coffee shop relied on bank employees as well as workers who still had to work during the CMCO for the time being.

Business is slow at Keng Wan Hing, a popular bun shop at Jalan Gaya.

“Today is the first day of the CMCO. We have decided not to sell noodles today.

“We are producing 50 percent less steamed and baked buns as well as some dishes for takeaway.

“We are not sure whether customers will show up.”

Wong seemed to take the CMCO in stride, saying that the restrictions were necessary to drive the Covid-19 infections down.

“As a businessperson, we understand the need for the CMCO.

“We have to overcome the pandemic together.

“There is no use complaining because lives go on. We have to stay positive.”

Wong also stressed the importance for everyone to take precautions and abide by the SOPs.

“I’m afraid of contracting the virus. Some of the infected patients do not display obvious symptoms.

“That’s why everyone should take precautionary measures,” she said, adding that Keng Wan Hing may shorten its opening hours from 6 am to 3 pm starting today (Oct 8).

Restaurants and eateries are allowed to operate from 6 am to 6 pm during the CMCO.

The operator of Kedai Kopi Melanian 3, who wished to be known as Mdm Lui, said her business had dropped 80 percent on the first day of the CMCO.

Kedai Kopi Melanian 3 claims that business dropped 80 percent on the first day of CMCO, but views the restrictions as necessary to curb the spread of Covid-19.

“We are open from 6.30 am to 2.30 pm. Usually by 11 am, we would have earned RM500 to RM600 in revenue, but today we have only made RM100.

“We had anticipated less customers during CMCO, but it was worse than we expected.”

She said the revenue the coffee shop earned yesterday might not even be sufficient to pay her employees’ salaries.

Nevertheless, she said the implementation of the CMCO was necessary given the high number of active cases in Kota Kinabalu, even though the restrictions would take a toll on businesses.

Lui said this CMCO was different than the MCO implemented in March because the number of infections were much lower back then.

The eatery has also reduced its number of employees from six to three, and possibly down to two today (Oct 8) since business was slow.

As a precaution, Lui said she made sure her employees sanitized or washed their hands every half an hour.

On another note, she hoped that the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) would temporarily exempt motorists from paying for parking and suspend the issuance of parking summonses during the CMCO period as businesses were struggling to stay afloat.

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