EMCO: Selayang residents pleading for sundry stores to be opened

KUALA LUMPUR (April 23): Fearing food supplies may run low, residents in parts of Selayang being placed under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) are “pleading” with the authorities to allow sundry shops in their area to be opened, the Malay Mail reported today.

It was reported that the authorities have provided supplies of rice, flour and cooking oil to the residents yesterday but some are saying that it is not adequate.

“There are sundry shops in Pusat Bandar Utara; the authorities can at least allow the sundry shops to open so that people who live there can buy groceries.

“The owner of the sundry shops are also on lockdown in the area, so I think they can work out something for those who live in the area,” a Myanmar national told Malay Mail.

He added that the residents in the area “were not demanding to be provided with free food, but were only asking that stores selling essential goods be allowed to open so they could stock up or resupply”.

In other places under EMCO such as Masjid India, it was reported that essential services such as restaurants were allowed to remain open so residents in the impacted buildings such as Menara City One, Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion could still buy food.

“Right now they have money but they can’t buy food to sustain until the end of the EMCO,” the Myanmar national said about the residents in the Taman Sri Murni flats in Selayang.

Another Myanmar national living at the Taman Sri Murni flats told the news portal his family only have enough rice for two days and would need to buy supplies soon.

“I have eight people in my family, I don’t know how long we can last like this.

“Tonight we will start preparing for the Ramadan month. I can’t imagine what we are going to do for sahur until the end of the EMCO period,” said the Myanmar national.

Meanwhile, a Vietnamese national who works at the Selayang wholesale market said the sudden EMCO “caught residents off guard and left them no time to stock up on groceries”.

“It is the third day already, and we still have not received any food aid. If they told us earlier we could have at least stocked up on supplies.

“In my unit, we are still alright as there are only three of us and we have some rice and vegetable stock.

“My neighbour, they are only dependent on instant noodles. They are a big family and I don’t think they can last any longer,” the Vietnamese told Malay Mail.

He added that “it would make more sense if they are allowed to order groceries rather than waiting for food to be distributed to them”.

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