AUTOMOBILE workshops nationwide face the threat of closure as members of the industry grapple with the economic crisis caused by the raging pandemic.

The automobile repair industry comprises of repair workshops, tyre shops, and accessory dealers.

Federation of Malaysian Motor Workshop Associations president Khor Kong Siah said members have had to close shop because of the continuous lockdown.

“Some of our members kept their outlets open hoping to serve customers who badly need service but they were harassed by the various SOP enforcement agencies, sometimes one after another. The worst part was they were finding minor faults and issuing summonses,” Khor was quoted saying in news reports.

He said that under the current lockdown rules, especially in major cities, motor workshops can only operate for a limited time period and with a prescribed number of workers.

He said that this posed a problem as bigger workshops have high overhead costs.

Mohd Iskandar, a tyre and rim shop owner in Sungai Tua, Gombak, told The Malaysian Insight he has been operating at a loss since early 2020.

He said he has lost a great deal of income due to movement restrictions.

“The pandemic is really a test for me. My workshop is relatively new, most probably around three years. The business was good as many of us like to change rims especially when buying a new car.

“But the situation has now changed. From daily income of tens of thousands of ringgit, we are relying on hundreds of ringgit only. It is rarely that we can make sales of more than five thousand under the current situation,” he said.

Mohd added that he was also forced to lay off some of his workers when he could not afford to keep them.

“I used to have seven mechanics but I had to let go three of them. I keep two experienced foremen so the other two rookies can learn from the seniors,” he said.

Mohd’s struggles were compounded when Selangor was placed under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) on July 3.

Under EMCO, workshops were not allowed to operate.

He struggled with keeping his business afloat, affording rent, and paying his employees.

“I had to cut my workers’ salary to half after not being able to run at maximum capacity. Plus, I still have to pay for other utilities including shop rent. At the moment I am struggling,” he said.

Mohd also questioned the government’s decision to allow manufacturing sectors to open while ordering workshops and service centres to close.

“I think they got their priorities wrong. We could have followed the SOP and prevented any new cases but our business was shut down.

“The ones contributing are allowed to operate. We don’t interact directly with customers. We fix what they need and they leave. Payment could be made online, limiting the contact,” he said.

EMCO in 34 districts in Selangor was lifted yesterday, two weeks after it was imposed on July 3, 2021.

Yesterday, Malaysia logged 12,541 cases while Selangor continued to top the daily tally with 5,512 cases, followed by Negri Sembilan with 1,619 cases, and Kuala Lumpur with 1,542 cases.

The Klang Valley accounted for 7,116 cases, or 57% of the total cases, on July 15, 2021.

Meanwhile, S. Chandran, a mechanic and owner of a small workshop in Kapar, Klang said that he has not been making money for the past three months.

The 45-year-old has temporarily closed his workshop to work with his father-in-law as a vegetable seller at a wet market in Klang.

“I initially thought this would end in a year but I estimated it wrong. The situation is now worse than before.

“I used to get RM500 to RM800 a day repairing cars. I have one worker who helped me. I can pay him, pay my rent and other bills from this work.

“But the business is not very good at the moment. My helper is now doing food delivery service as I can’t pay him his full salary,” he added.

The father of three said that he decided to work at the market instead so that he could make ends meet and continue to pay his rent, adding that he hopes to still be able to keep his shop at the end of the crisis.

Another workshop owner, who declined to be named, said he was forced to close down his workshop a mere six months after it had opened.

The man, who is now jobless, said that he is helping his wife sell homemade cakes online at the moment.

“Maybe my timing was not right. The economy was slow and people are struggling. Because of that, my business too was affected.

“It was not my luck I guess, I could not sustain the business. The operating cost is high, and the movement control order did not help either, it was more of a burden.

“I am not sure what I will do now, it is all unclear,” he shrugged.

His shop was previously located in Bandar Baru Rawang.

Meanwhile, all three individuals agreed the government should be giving more aid to the people.

While they were thankful for the i-Citra initiative, they said the government could have done better by ordering the banks to offer a loan moratorium.

Assisting the people should be the priority. Monthly aid should be channelled to the people, especially those who have lost their income, they said.

It was a good idea to let people withdraw their EPF savings to see them through hard times, they said, but the government should be firm with banks.

It is as though the banks are profiting while the people pay more, they said. – July 18, 2021.