INDIAN event and wedding organisers have pleaded with the government to allow them to hold small-scale events while the conditional movement control order is in force.

They said the ban on all events had hit them hard. 

Malaysian Indian Association of Events president Sivakumar Kuppusamy said they were barely surviving.

“By allowing us to operate, it will save more than 20,000 local workers, whose livelihoods depend on this industry,” he said during a press conference at Shenga Convention Hall in Batu Caves today.

“We also urge the government to drop the rental rates for halls by 30%. We also would like EPF and Socso payments to be stopped temporarily in order to reduce our expenses.

“The government should also provide a grant of RM5,000 as a one-off payment to the small players in this industry,” he said.

He said small players were those who organised two to three events a month on a small scale.

“Due to the pandemic, there have been about almost 100 companies under the Malaysian Indian Association of Events that have shut down,” said Sivakumar.

Event organiser Rajan Raman, who is the director of RDA Banquet Hall, said apart from event organisers, other businesses, such those involved in decorations, make-up, photography, were also badly affected.

“We are still paying rent for the halls, which is why we would like at least a 30% discount for it,” said Rajan at the press conference today.

He said he was not aware of any Covid-19 clusters arising from any events organised by their members since the recovery movement control order was announced in June.

The government has said weddings and engagement ceremonies  and feasts were not allowed during the conditional movement control order period which is in place until December 6. – November 20, 2020.