By Biz Brunei
Dining in at all food premises in Brunei will be banned starting March 19 until further notice as COVID-19 cases rose to 68 yesterday, but takeout and food deliveries will still be allowed.
Minister of Home Affairs (MOHA) YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Abu Bakar Hj Apong said in a press conference that the dine-in ban applies to any site serving food to the public including restaurants, cafes, food courts and tamu (hawker stalls/marketplaces).
He added that the daily evening and weekend market in Temburong – Tamu Aneka and Tamu Besar – located within the same area, along with the Tamu Tutong market, will be closed until further notice. Other open-air markets around the country will continue to be open.
All sporting facilities including private gyms, bowling centres and golf courses will be also be closed until further notice, announced the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) YB Dato Hj Aminuddin Ihsan Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin.
Other MCYS facilities – youth centres, museums, libraries and galleries – will also be closed temporarily. Brunei’s only amusement park Jerudong Park Playground, along with its accompanying gardens and amphitheatre will be closed temporarily, but its food court will remain open for takeaways.
Meanwhile the opening hours for the Temburong bridge were reduced to 6am to 6pm, one day after the bridge was first opened for public use from 6am to 10pm. Second Finance and Economy Minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohd Amin Liew said the reduction comes after it appeared that motorists were flocking to Temburong recreationally.
The bridge was opened early to allow Temburong residents to bypass Limbang, Malaysia, as the government imposed a blanket ban on all Brunei residents leaving the country to control the spread of COVID-19.
