After earlier reluctance, barbers now eager to re-open business

Barbers say the drop in new Covid-19 infections means it is the right time to re-open their salons.

PETALING JAYA: Hairdressers are hoping Putrajaya would allow them to re-open in “green zones” to resume business before the movement control order (MCO) expires.

The Selangor and Federal Territories Indian Hairstylists Association said many barbers were facing financial difficulties after closing shop for about six weeks.

Its chairman Ganathiban Murugan said most of them had been depending on their savings since the MCO came into force on March 20 and were worried that life would get harder for their families if the order were to be extended beyond May 12.

He added that some barbers were finding it difficult to pay the rents for their salons although he acknowledged the generosity of landlords who have either decided to forego the April rents or to reduce their rates.

“But others are not as kind,” Ganathiban told FMT.

The association had voiced disapproval of the government’s move to allow barbers to resume their services during the second phase of the MCO.

In the past two weeks, however, the number of new Covid-19 cases has generally dropped to two digits and health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has said Malaysia is now in the recovery phase.

“This is the right time to re-open the salons,” Ganathiban said.

Ganathiban claimed that customers had been waiting for barbers to re-open, adding that members of his association were ready to comply fully with operating procedures set by the government.

He added that the association had started planning how to control crowds and one of the measures would be to accept clients by appointment only.

One of the proposals, he said, was to hand out schedule numbers to clients appearing at the salons.

“After they take their numbers, they may leave their contact details. A haircut normally takes around 15 to 20 minutes. They can spend the time outside.”

He also said members of the association were planning to carry out daily body temperature tests on their workers and to subject customers to the same testing.

He said barbers would initially be wearing face shields and would replace these with masks when the Covid-19 situation improves further.

“Every barber will have to wash his hands after attending to each customer and to wash his scissors and combs regularly,” he said.

Masks would be sold to customers if they weren’t already wearing them, he added.

He said there would not be shaving services for a time.

“For now, we’re just going to cut with scissors and clippers. No razor blades.

“Maybe we can start shaving after six months or so. Right now we just want to give customers decent haircuts.” - FMT