JOHOR BAHRU, Sept 24 — Traders at a popular shopping mall in the city can now breathe a sigh of relief as the public began patronising their permises on the first day of Johor’s transition to Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) today.
The owner of Hj Wahid Mee Rebus restaurant, Abdul Halim Wahid, said he was expecting more customers on weekends as those who have been fully vaccinated can now travel inter-district.
“Previously, people might be afraid or hesitant to go out, but after Johor entered the second phase, we hope that more customers will come,” the 65-year-old trader, who has been doing business for about 24 years told Bernama, here today.
For a 44-year-old shoe store owner, Lim Kang Wei, he hoped that the relaxation of the standard operating procedure (SOP) in Phase Two of PPN will to some extent help him to revive his business which has been affected by the pandemic over the past three months.
“However, at the same time, we also hope to receive foreign tourists, especially from Singapore, as Johor Bahru city is also a shopping destination for Singaporeans,” he added.
Meanwhile, checks by Bernama found that the public was seen shopping with their children and eating at the food court and food outlets as early as 10 am.
Nur Syairah Mohd Khalid, 28, said she took the opportunity to do some shopping with her family after months of being holed up at home.
“I also plan to bring my family for a holiday at a nearby destination…Alhamdulillah, Johor has entered phase two, many sectors have been allowed to resume operations under the new norms,” she said.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency