HAIRDRESSERS and barbershops have urged Putrajaya to develop procedures for them to resume business when the movement control order (MCO) ends on May 12.

Many said they can no longer close shop after two months of no business when the MCO was enforced on March 18 to break the chain of Covid-19 infections in the country.

Malaysian Indian Hair Dressing Salon Owners Association (Mindas) vice-president Ganathiban Murugan said the number of Covid-19 cases has reduced and the situation is under better control.

What is needed now are clear guidelines so that salons and barbershops can prepare to resume operations, Ganathiban said.

“If Miti (Ministry of International Trade and Industry) could give us a proper SOP to follow, then we can prepare and will be ready to operate with full compliance,” Ganathiban told The Malaysian Insight.

On May 4, the government eased restrictions on most economic sectors but barbers and hairdressers were not among them.

And companies allowed to resume operations have complained about inadequate time to prepare and delays in resuming business due to initial requirements for workers to be screened for Covid-19.

That requirement was retracted yesterday, except for foreign construction workers.

There was also the issue of who will foot the bill for screening foreign workers for Covid-19.

On April 10, Miti had included barbershops in a list of industries allowed to operate during the fourth phase of the MCO, but reversed its decision after an outcry over the risk of infections.

Barbers and hairdressers themselves were against resuming operations then, citing fears of getting infected from customers as social distancing is impossible in their line of work.

Plea to open, even with restrictions

But now that the MCO is due to expire after almost two months of closure, Ganathiban, who is also the Selangor and Federal Territories Indian Hairstylist chairman, said the industry can no longer accept any more extensions.

“Mindas members have closed their shops since March 18. It has been almost two months since we had operated our business.

“We are financially affected and we have so many commitments, just like others. We have to pay rent, bills and need to take care of our families. Without income, this is very difficult.

“We also don’t want to compromise on the safety of the customers. So we need the SOP to give customers some sense of assurance,” he said.

Mindas, formed 50 years ago, is the country’s oldest association representing Indian hairstylists and barbers, and has some 800 members nationwide.

Malaysian Indian Hairstylist Empowerment Association (Mihass) president S. Jeeva also echoed Ganathiban’s views and said his members had discussed ways to operate safely and were prepared to implement them.

This includes having customers come by appointment, instead of taking walk-ins.

“Our members are prepared to operate. They have disinfected their shops, prepared disposable gloves, disposable barber capes, face masks and face shields for workers, sanitisers for tools, thermometers and to record details of customers.

“They are just waiting for approval because we can’t stay closed any longer,” Jeeva told The Malaysian Insight.

“If they want us to operate on an appointment basis, that would be better because this will help set a trend for barbershops.

“By doing so, customers don’t need to wait, we can manage our time and at the same time reduce the number of people in the shop,” the 34-year-old said, adding that Mihass has almost 300 members.

Most members have also complained of financial woes because of the MCO.

Jeeva said almost 80% of them did not qualify for the Bantuan Prihatin cash aid and they were using their savings to cover costs incurred during the MCO.

One member, who owns seven hairdressing salons, lost close to RM100,000 during the MCO, Jeeva said.

“With 32 workers and seven shops, this member had to pay his workers a minimum salary and had to continue paying rent, with landlords giving only 20% to 30% discounts.

“He has spent close to RM100,000 during these months without any income. This is a burden.

“So, even with some restrictions (on how we serve customers), we are prepared to open as it would give us some income,” he said.

Covid-19 tests for workers

When asked about Covid-19 screening for workers, Ganathiban welcomed the move to provide free screening borne by the Social Security Organisation (Socso), for workers registered with the fund.

On the other hand, Jeeva said not all workers would have been registered with Socso as some barbershops hire daily-wage earners who work on commission basis.

He said that in such cases, it would be an additional burden for owners to foot the bill for Covid-19 tests as they have already struggled for the past months.

“The government should look at alternatives on how to get them tested at a cheaper cost as most businesses have struggled for the past months,” he said.

A. Logaraj, who owns a barbershop in Bentong, Pahang, said he is depending on aid from civil society groups to feed his wife and two children, aged 3 and 6 months.

He has earned nothing from his shop, and neither has his wife, an independent florist, during the MCO.

“I really hope the government doesn’t extend the MCO anymore. Even if they allow us to operate with strict guidelines and SOPs, I am fine with it and will adhere to it,” Logaraj told The Malaysian Insight.

The Health Ministry on Thursday said barbershops are still not allowed to reopen as there have been reports of Covid-19 cases among barbers and customers in the US and Japan.

As of yesterday, Malaysia recorded 6,535 cases of Covid-19 infections with 107 deaths. – May 9, 2020.