Barbers plead for permission to snip away again

 

The Penang barbershops association says revenue has dropped by 50% and barbers have had to look for other work.

GEORGE TOWN: Barbershop operators have appealed to the government to provide them with an exemption from restrictions on business under the movement control order.

Penang Hairdressers Association treasurer V Tharmararaj said that barbershop operators only had the opportunity to operate for six months since June 10 last year before being ordered to close again.

He said industry players don’t mind if the government chooses to tighten the health protocols for hair salons, as long as they were allowed to operate as soon as possible.

“I feel the SOP at hair salons are among the tightest and thus far I have yet to hear of any cluster from hair salons. We only had the opportunity to recover after being badly affected by the first MCO before being shut down again.

“There are almost 60 hair salons under this association and all of them are from the B40 group. We have been receiving appeals of help from our members as they can’t afford to buy food for their families,” he said.

Tharmararaj added that their daily revenue had declined by as much as 50%.

“As a result, many have changed jobs. Some are selling nasi lemak, or became cooks and temporary factory workers,” he said. - FMT