Every time Raya approaches, the Gerbang Malam night market becomes a must-visit location for many to shop.
One of the visitors who would like to remain anonymous commented that the Gerbang Malam is a lively port visited by all ages and walks of life.
“Gerbang Malam has its own ambience especially during celebrations like Raya. For me, the preparation for Raya is not complete without a visit here as all the necessities can be found here. Besides that, here we can experience the festive cheers especially a week before Raya.
“However, in the midst of the excitement of last-minute shopping for Raya, the practice of standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be prioritised. Although we are now in the transition to an endemic phase, we should prioritise our safety and stay alert.
“From observation, some of the visitors have gotten careless in abiding by the SOPs due to the shopping excitement, which should not happen.”
Meanwhile, the representative of Persatuan Usahawan Gerbang Malam (PKUGM), Ahmad Irwan Othman stated that during Raya, the Gerbang Malam receives more than 10,000 visitors every night.
“The organisation has held discussions together with the health authorities and safety personnel in ensuring the visitor safety and compliance with set SOPs.
“We are confident that the current community has the self-discipline in practising the SOPs after experiencing the pandemic for more than two years.
“Besides practising the SOPs, members of the public should also be alert towards cleanliness. It is regrettable that littering is still ongoing. We always ensure that traders take care of the cleanliness of their business premises by providing rubbish bags. However, the littering habits among some visitors seems to remain. This bad habit pollutes the view and disrupts the cleaning works done by the Ipoh City Council (MBI).”
Rosli Mansor
=============================
Get your local news fast. Download the Ipoh Echo App on your mobile. Available on both Google Playstore and Apple Appstore.
