Gerakan team let hair down in Kota Bharu salon

In an attempt to challenge the Kelantan government's controversial ruling on unisex hair salons, a team of Gerakan members from Negri Sembilan had a special hairdressing session at a hair salon in the state capital.

The team, which departed from Negeri Sembilan at 10.30am on Monday and arrived Kota Bharu some 12 hours later, was led by Negri Sembilan Gerakan assistant secretary David Choong and comprised five other members.

After staying a night there, the Gerakan team visited a hair salon in the town and enjoyed the services of four Chinese hairdressers.

Contacted later, Choong said all the hairdressers were female while his team composed of four males and two females.

He added that only he had a haircut while the remaining five opted for hairwash instead.

"We spent about one and a half hours there, not only got our hair cut and wash but we also waited for the Kota Baru local council to come," he said.

However, he said the local council officers did not visit the salon although their move led to about 20 curious bystanders gathering outside the salon.

'Will organise a bigger team soon'

Expressing his disappointment at the absence of the municipal council officers, Choong said he would propose to the party headquarters to organise a bigger "fact-finding" team to Kota Baru soon.

He added that the aim of the trip was to challenge the Islamic law in Kelantan and ensure the livelihood of non-Muslims would not be affected.

"We strongly oppose any form of theocratic rule. No matter Islamic law or syariah law, it can't be implemented on non-Muslims.

"Now that we see the ban in hair salons, we are worried that even doctors cannot treat a patient of the opposite sex in the near future," he said.

The controversy over the strict enforcement of local council rules on unisex hair salons erupted when a female hairdresser wassummoned by Kota Baru Municipal Council (MPKB) for cutting the hair of a non-Muslim male customer.

The ruling has since drawn flak from some political parties from both BN and Pakatan Rakyat, in particular MCA and DAP.

However, following his meeting with state exco members Takiyuddin Hassan and Muhamed Fadzli Hassan, the Kelantan Chinese Chamber of Commerce chairperson Goh Tee Chew is optimistic that the rulingwould be relaxed.

The state is expected to announce its decision on the ruling after the executive council meeting today.