Kota Kinabalu reports that a lottery operator’s locations were ordered yesterday to be closed by the local authorities because of the government having not yet greenlight number forecast operators (NFOs) to reopen their locations. Customers queued up outside Sports Toto outlet in Bornion Centre yesterday morning, patiently anticipating their intercommunication entering the premises because it reopened for the first time in three months since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was ordered to be enforced on Mar 18. An employee was tasked with checking the temperature of consumers, ensuring they registered their contact details also as allowing only 20 customers into the premises at any time.
Peter Chung, who was outside the Sports Toto outlet, told us that he intended to buy a few lottery tickets on the day of the resumption of business for NFOs. “All of my favorite lottery outlets have been closed for around 3 months. “I was buying things nearby and then I thought I have to buy some lottery tickets, permanently for luck sake.” However, the local authorities soon ordered lottery operators to shut because the regime has yet to allow the reopening of NFOs in Sabah.
Sports Toto, Magnum and Da Ma Cai all had decided to resume business yesterday in Peninsular, Malaysia, following the reopening of the lottery businesses during the time that implementation of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) last Wednesday to allow nearly all business sectors to manage with the required standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place.
The RMCO is scheduled to be in effect until August 31. During that time, 88 Diriwan and Sandakan Turf Club (STC) outlets were still closed and have remained closed. A local lottery operator said he was informed by the local authorities that NFOs weren’t allowed to open for business yet pending further instructions from the authorities. Another lottery company said employees returned to the outlets yesterday morning to wash up the premises after the central announced that NFOs could resume operation under strict SOPs on Tuesday.
“But before we opened our outlets, we were informed that the authorities had not given the green light yet so we are to remain closed until further instruction. “There are no draws today as no tickets are sold,” he added. All 4D88 outlets within the town center were also closed yesterday. An edifice operator at Jalan Pantai said she managed to buy a lottery ticket from the Sports Toto outlet shortly away before the Kota Kinabalu hall (DBKK) enforcement personnel and police ordered the premises to shut up around 12:30 pm because of the patrons who gathered outside. “I wouldn’t know where to collect my winnings if my ticket number was drawn,” she joked.
