KOTA KINABALU: Was there really an order to stop dine-ins or was it just panic that triggered coffee shops to switch back to take-away only services here on Tuesday (June 29).

       It all began when a team of health enforcement officers from Kota Kinabalu City Hall issued summonses to a coffee shop operator in Damai Plaza for not having a valid health certificate and also warned him not to put tables and chairs on the public walkway.

       The incident occurred at around 10am Tuesday but almost immediately word got around and coffee shop operators hurriedly packed away their tables and chairs amid claims that some shops had been issued compound notices.

       As word spread quickly across Sabah, other local enforcement officers swung into action with reports coming in from east coast towns that local authorities in Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau were also advising operators to wait for the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for dine-in businesses.

       There was official silence on the "enforcement against dine-ins" though some coffee shop operators said that health enforcement officers had asked them to put away their tables and chairs until fresh SOPs were available.

       However, most coffee shop operators interviewed said it was more of advice rather than official action.

       So far, state Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun and Sabah Health Department director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi have yet to respond on the issue that has left coffee shop operators in confusion.

       On Monday (June 28), Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor announced that dine-ins for restaurants and eateries, barbershops, roadside stalls for vegetables, fish and fruits will be allowed under Phase 1 of the National Recovery Plan in the state beginning Tuesday.

       Non-contact sports such as exercising, golf, fishing and cycling will also be allowed while manufacturing activities such as rubber, cement and paint, furniture and woodwork would be allowed soon.

       However, no SOPs were released Monday night and it is now expected to be announced later Tuesday.

       Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin urged the authorities to immediately clarify the position for dine-ins at coffee shops.

       In the absence of a new SOP, he said that it doesn’t mean that the Chief Minister's announcement should be ignored as the previous SOP on dine-in should automatically apply in the meantime.