Reward us for reducing Covid-19 infection numbers, say retail industry players

 

Retail industry players today highlighted the Health Ministry’s data that the entire sector contributed only 0.8 percent of Covid-19 cases in May to call for a reopening of the sector.

Several retail associations in a joint press conference today reiterated their call for the government to not only help save lives from Covid-19 but also the livelihoods of those trying to survive.

Malaysia Shopping Malls Association president Teo Chiong Kok said the industry should be rewarded for reducing infection numbers from 4.8 percent in April, rather than punished through an indefinite lockdown and enhanced movement control order.

“We were a bit frustrated and hurt because MOH’s own figures in May showed that shopping malls and retail centres only contributed 0.8 percent of cases.

“Why are we so severely punished even though we have achieved such results?” Teo said in a joint online press conference today.

He also cited declining sales figures since May last year as fewer retailers were able to sustain its scale of operations despite cost-cutting measures, including retrenchment and reducing the number of outlets.

Other retail associations represented at the press conference were the Malaysia Retailers’ Association (MRA), Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA), Bumiputera Retailers’ Organisation (BRO), Malaysian Reit Managers’ Association (MRMA), as well as Malaysian Association of Themepark and Family Attraction (Matfa).

The groups jointly urged the government to consider reopening all malls and retail outlets by July 15, a target set for 10 percent of Malaysians to have received their second dose of Covid-19 vaccines.

MRCA president Shirley Tay said a survey among 100 members last month found that 70 percent reported severe loss of sales and varying degrees of workers retrenchment.

She said the survey, initiated in response to the announcement of an indefinite lockdown, also found a majority of respondents facing cash flow problems with reserves left for only three to four months.

“So if going by Phase 2 of the national recovery plan, most of these businesses would not be able to survive until then,” said Tay.

BRO president Ameer Ali Mydin, managing director of Mydin hypermarket chain, noted that the groups were not opposing the current state of lockdown and enhanced measures to curb Covid-19 infections.

However, he reiterated their demand for a targeted strategy that would not only save individual lives but the livelihoods of retail industry players and their entire value chain at all levels.

Currently, only food and beverage outlets, supermarkets and other essential services located within a shopping mall are allowed to operate under lockdown while individual retailers are subjected to limited operation hours. - Mkini