It said the federal territories’ Covid-19 Coordination and Management Centre (CCMC) had ordered morning markets to close during the movement control order.

“Under Phase 1 of the national recovery plan, the SOPs bar the operation of farmers’ markets (pasar tani) and morning markets,” DBKL said in a statement today.

Last week, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said federal territories minister Annuar Musa needed to come down to the ground and witness the situation faced by small businesses, especially traders at morning markets.

She said the ban on the operation of the morning markets “did not make sense at all”.

Kok said the ventilation at open-air morning markets was better than indoor markets or hawker centres and all traders had complied with the SOPs under the supervision of the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) before this.