Kit Siang: Barbershop bungle shows ministerial disconnect

CORONAVIRUS | Putrajaya's decision to allow hairdressers and barbershops to resume operation from tomorrow onwards reflected cabinet's disconnect from the public, said veteran opposition MP Lim Kit Siang.

"Nothing can equal this barbershop and hair salon episode to highlight the great gulf between the ministerial class and the ordinary people," said Lim in a statement today.

Lim said that it is likely that the episode was the first time in the world where an effort to loosen restrictions due to the Covid-19 outbreak was opposed not only by the public but by those who were supposed to be beneficiaries.

On Friday, the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) had released a list of additional sectors which could operate during the movement control order (MCO) period.

This included barbershops and hair salons, full-service laundry outlets, legal firms, electrical appliance stores, firms in the aerospace industry and some construction firms, among others.

Although some industry players have complained about lack of clarity on whether the qualify to resume business, most criticisms came from the hairdressing industry itself.

For instance, the Malaysian Hairdressing Association (MHA) has urged the government to reconsider its plan for their industry, stressing that it was "impossible" to maintain social distancing in their line of work.

Meanwhile, Lim said that the gulf between the ministerial class and the public must be bridged through proper and extensive consultation between government and civil society.

"It is also why an emergency meeting of Parliament should be convened without any delay," said Lim.

He said legislatures in the US, Spain, Italy, France, the UK, Germany and Turkey have been performing their duties and Malaysia should be no exception.

"Malaysia must not be the only instance in the world where Parliament is ignored, marginalised or quarantined as Parliaments in countries which are the epicentres of the Covid-19 pandemic continue in session to deliberate on the best strategies to fight the coronavirus outbreak," he said. - Mkini