GEORGE TOWN: Craving for a bowl of ais kacang or a plate of rice and freshly-cooked bawal served with piping hot curry from Esplanade during the Movement Control Order (MCO)?
Fret not, as the Penang government, through its Penang Island City Council (MBPP), has introduced the Jom Beli Online@MBPP (or JBO@MBPP) initiative, an online food delivery platform.
MBPP Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said the initiative was introduced to help the state's hawkers improve their business efficiency during the MCO.
“While the hawkers are allowed to operate during the MCO, we understand that some of them have not been enjoying brisk business due to the no dine-in policy.
“As such, we are offering this online food delivery platform to help them boost their businesses," he said at the launch of the JBO@MBPP initiative by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow in Komtar here, today.
For a start, the initiative will focus on hawkers operating in MBPP food complexes, before it is expanded to other licensed hawkers, Ramadan bazaars and even wet markets.
The AI system is able to capture the businesses within a 7km radius, depending on the addresses keyed into the system when placing an order.
For now, the MBPP is partnering with Deliver Eat for food delivery. Hawkers will receive proceeds from their sales within three days.
Yew urged more hawkers to seize the opportunity to capitalise on the JBO@MBPP to boost their sales.
Meanwhile, Chow said as an added feature to ensure food safety, MBPP will be distributing food safety seals to all the hawkers registered for the JBO@MBPP.
The hawkers will be required to place the seal on their food packaging. If the seal has been tampered with, the customers can refuse to accept their orders.
“This is just the beginning and we will improve on the initiative as we move along. This comes at the most appropriate time with the MCO in place.
“We will popularise this e-commerce platform with the Ramadan bazaars and even include grocery delivery soon,” he said, adding that although this is nothing new, MBPP is believed to be the first local government to introduce such an initiative.