Essential or not? Restaurant owners boiling mad with Miti
Richard Nah preparing prawn mee in a video shoot. (Champ’s Bistro Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: Restaurateurs and food suppliers are boiling mad over the confusion surrounding businesses regarded as essential services, and with the process of obtaining approval from the international trade and industry ministry (Miti).
The last-minute policy flip-flops and confusion over the definitions and criteria of essential business sectors have been nothing short of frustrating, they say.
Richard Nah, who supplies fruits to wholesalers in Selayang and most major supermarkets in the Klang Valley, said he had yet to receive approval from Miti despite directly being in the food supply chain.
He questioned how approvals under Miti are made considering certain essential businesses were granted approvals and others were not, despite falling under the same sector.
“My company has applied for permission from Miti since the first movement control order (MCO), then the second one and now the third one. Miti replied on June 2, saying that we applied to the wrong sector. We have reapplied but have yet to obtain anything till today,” he told FMT.
Nah also owns a chain of restaurants called Champ’s in Kuala Lumpur. He said the last-minute directives by the government were a hassle for restaurant owners trying their best to comply with the SOPs decided by the National Security Council (MKN).
He said his restaurant in Bangsar, which holds both pub and restaurant licences, was rejected. However, another restaurant in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, which only has a restaurant licence, was approved.
He said although police had said restaurants selling food for takeaways and deliveries could remain open, his staff are unable to receive travel permits from Miti and are not confident about going to work, for fear of police roadblocks.
The last-minute policy flip-flops and confusion over the definitions and criteria of essential business sectors have been nothing short of frustrating, they say.
Richard Nah, who supplies fruits to wholesalers in Selayang and most major supermarkets in the Klang Valley, said he had yet to receive approval from Miti despite directly being in the food supply chain.
He questioned how approvals under Miti are made considering certain essential businesses were granted approvals and others were not, despite falling under the same sector.
“My company has applied for permission from Miti since the first movement control order (MCO), then the second one and now the third one. Miti replied on June 2, saying that we applied to the wrong sector. We have reapplied but have yet to obtain anything till today,” he told FMT.
Nah also owns a chain of restaurants called Champ’s in Kuala Lumpur. He said the last-minute directives by the government were a hassle for restaurant owners trying their best to comply with the SOPs decided by the National Security Council (MKN).
He said his restaurant in Bangsar, which holds both pub and restaurant licences, was rejected. However, another restaurant in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, which only has a restaurant licence, was approved.
He said although police had said restaurants selling food for takeaways and deliveries could remain open, his staff are unable to receive travel permits from Miti and are not confident about going to work, for fear of police roadblocks.
Chef Yenni Law says her application for a permit to open during the lockdown has been rejected three times. (Meatology Facebook pic)
Yenni Law, who runs the Meatology restaurant in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, said her application to Miti had been rejected three times. The restaurant, which is Law’s bread and butter, is now on the brink of closing.
“We are still trying. My business is about to die and, to be very honest, we have absolutely no more funds,” she said.
Businesses in the food & beverage sector are on Miti’s essential economic sector list, and are allowed to open during the nationwide lockdown. However, all essential businesses and manufacturers must first apply with the ministry.
“We’re not allowed to open, even though my business licences are all up to date. We pay taxes, we have licences and we adhere to all the rules and regulations such as getting our typhoid jabs and food hygiene certification,” Law said.
“I’m a professionally trained chef and this is my bread and butter. We’re providing jobs to people. Why are we made to suffer from the double standard?”
Law’s restaurant also accepts takeaway orders for deliveries via Beepit, Grab and Food Panda, but she has to give up between 15% and 30% in commission on all orders through these apps.
“It’s really crazy trying to make it. We’ve been thrown at with way too many curve balls from all angles. And we’re just trying to earn an honest and earnest living,” she said.
“I’ve been made to feel as though I’m in an illegal business altogether. It’s the double standard which I am truly sad about.”
Another owner, Geoff Siddle, has been operating British restaurant Sid’s in Plaza Damansara for the past 12 years with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) restaurant licences.
He said he had always abided by SOPs, passing all police and DBKL inspections during previous MCOs.
“Now that Miti has suddenly come into the picture, it’s a whole new ballgame,” he said.
“I applied for a permit that I haven’t needed at all during the previous MCOs, from the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry last week, only to be told the next day that all applications to operate during the lockdown had to be reapplied through Miti.
“Miti rejected my application to operate stating that my company’s articles had said that I ‘operate pubs & restaurants’.”
This is in spite of his restaurants doing takeaway food and deliveries too, according to current SOPs.
“I have appealed and am waiting for their judgment. MKN said all restaurants could operate for takeaway and delivery of food.
“Why is Miti now overruling those directives and giving me and other restaurant owners a hard time just because we have a restaurant and also a pub licence?”
“We are still trying. My business is about to die and, to be very honest, we have absolutely no more funds,” she said.
Businesses in the food & beverage sector are on Miti’s essential economic sector list, and are allowed to open during the nationwide lockdown. However, all essential businesses and manufacturers must first apply with the ministry.
“We’re not allowed to open, even though my business licences are all up to date. We pay taxes, we have licences and we adhere to all the rules and regulations such as getting our typhoid jabs and food hygiene certification,” Law said.
“I’m a professionally trained chef and this is my bread and butter. We’re providing jobs to people. Why are we made to suffer from the double standard?”
Law’s restaurant also accepts takeaway orders for deliveries via Beepit, Grab and Food Panda, but she has to give up between 15% and 30% in commission on all orders through these apps.
“It’s really crazy trying to make it. We’ve been thrown at with way too many curve balls from all angles. And we’re just trying to earn an honest and earnest living,” she said.
“I’ve been made to feel as though I’m in an illegal business altogether. It’s the double standard which I am truly sad about.”
Another owner, Geoff Siddle, has been operating British restaurant Sid’s in Plaza Damansara for the past 12 years with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) restaurant licences.
He said he had always abided by SOPs, passing all police and DBKL inspections during previous MCOs.
“Now that Miti has suddenly come into the picture, it’s a whole new ballgame,” he said.
“I applied for a permit that I haven’t needed at all during the previous MCOs, from the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry last week, only to be told the next day that all applications to operate during the lockdown had to be reapplied through Miti.
“Miti rejected my application to operate stating that my company’s articles had said that I ‘operate pubs & restaurants’.”
This is in spite of his restaurants doing takeaway food and deliveries too, according to current SOPs.
“I have appealed and am waiting for their judgment. MKN said all restaurants could operate for takeaway and delivery of food.
“Why is Miti now overruling those directives and giving me and other restaurant owners a hard time just because we have a restaurant and also a pub licence?”
MITI's normal purview is the export manufacturing sector.
ReplyDeleteWhen they made themselves the control point for All business approvals to operate during the FMCO. they have gone completely beyond their area of competence.
Champ's Pork Bone Har Mee with a swig of Black Label sounds essential to me.
ReplyDeletethe 80% non essential hv more thing to say if the topic is complaints.
ReplyDelete