KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 72 Ramadan bazaars involving 5,000 stalls are expected to open around the federal capital during the fasting month starting this Sunday (April 3).

       Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim said the operation hours of the bazaars are from 3 pm to 8 pm.

       "Even though we are entering the transition to the endemic phase after April 1, we want to remind the people to observe physical distancing and the standard operating procedures,” he said when met by reporters during his visit to a hawker site at Jalan Dungun and Jalan Gelenggang here on Tuesday (March 29).

       He said the Ministry is also targeting the involvement of more than 10,000 volunteers or community ambassadors to monitor, advise and remind the people on compliance with SOP to curb the spread of Covid-19.

       In this regard, Shahidan said Kuala Lumpur City Hall has identified and created several strategic locations to reorganise hawkers around the city to enable them centralise their business in a more systematic and conducive space.

       "The reorganisation of hawkers would be introduced to all areas in Kuala Lumpur, so as to ensure the residents around the areas are not disrupted by hawkers carrying out their business,” he said.

       Shahidan said the implementation of the programme would be conducted in phases, and added that priority would be given to hotspot areas.

       He said the restructuring of hawkers also received the cooperation of non-government organisations by providing free canopies and stall rent discounts. - Bernama