By Ashwin Kumar
PETALING JAYA, March 19 — Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s plea to the public to stay home last night had some impact on the people of Petaling Jaya as the Selangor city was seen deserted today.
Checks by Selangor Journal saw clearer roads and many shops had its shutters down with only a few eateries opened for takeaways and delivery orders.
The Petaling Jaya old town food court were all closed after receiving orders from the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to close their stalls as to comply with the movement control order.
One of the food stall owners, who remained anonymous, told Selangor Journal that enforcement officers had visited the food court yesterday and had told vendors that were under the city council’s purview to close down.
“We have put up several notices to alert customers of the new rule in place effective yesterday until March 31. Today I’m here just to inform some of my regular customers about the closure because I know some of them would turn up during lunch hours,” she said.
Houses of worship around Petaling Jaya had continued to comply with the order.
Checks also showed that parks were free of joggers and the public.
Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya district police chief ACP Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal yesterday had said that four roadblocks were set in place round-the-clock to conducts checks on motorists.
“We are focusing on educating our communities on the importance of staying indoors,” he said in a statement yesterday.
A police four-wheel-drive vehicle with loudspeakers was deployed to make announcements urging the public to adhere to the government order.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin had in a live television broadcast had repeatedly appealed to all Malaysians to stay at home during the order’s 14-day period, which was enforced yesterday until March 31.
