KOTA KINABALU: The famous Sunday Gaya street market here, which is usually bustling with hawkers and visitors, was markedly quiet today.
Gaya Street Hawkers Association chairman Lee Chee Kong said that up to 300 vendors usually operate at the popular tourist and shopping attraction on Sundays.
"Last month, there was an average of 8,000 visitors at the Sunday market.
"Today, there are only about 500 visitors and fewer than 40 hawkers here," he said when met at the market.
Lee said the low number of visitors and vendors could be due to the state capital being designated a red zone after 83 active Covid-19 cases were detected.
He added that people may be more aware of the dangers of the coronavirus, which is said to have mutated to become more virulent.
"We also advise (our elderly members) not to take risks… just to earn money.
"Apart from that, some of our members could not come as they are from other districts," he said.
A two-week inter-district travel ban went into effect state-wide yesterday.
A worker who wanted to be known as Hee said the Covid-19 infection has badly affected sales of her business' local coffee products.
"Usually, we will have buyers who are mostly senior citizens coming to our stalls.
"But, today, there are fewer visitors as compared to before," she said.
On the other hand, at Taman Tun Fuad Stephens, many people were seen partaking in recreational activities.
Internal auditor Shahrulnizam Nordin, 37, from Penampang, said he thinks it is safe to come out as long as people take the necessary precautions.
"I just have to maintain physical distancing, bring hand sanitiser and shower immediately when I reach home.
"But I do notice there are actually fewer people compared to before (during the weekends)," he said, adding that he was making preparations to climb Mount Kinabalu at the end of this month.
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