By Ong Ai Jia / Photos provided by interviewees
GEORGE TOWN: Since May 4, almost all economic sectors and business activities have resumed operations under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) with strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be adhered to. Nevertheless, businesses that involve high human interactions, where the measures of social distancing may not be possible to implement, will not be in operations as of yet.
Plans to reopen barber and hairdresser shops mid- MCO were scrapped as doing so might incur high risks of infection. Plans to reopen these shops also drew objections from hairdressers as well as the public. Therefore, the government has withdrawn the said reinstatement order on April 13 as a result of the mounting public pressure. Until today, barber shops remain closed.
“I disagree with the government’s decision to disallow the reinstatement of the hairdressing sector. I understand that the government’s concern is to maintain social distancing to break the chain, yet some businesses that fail to obey the so-called safe social-distancing are allowed to operate. These businesses are like those at the markets where people are quite often found in close-contact,” said Anna Som, a hairdresser who has been operating a small hair salon for the past 18 years.
Anna is running the salon all by herself and there is no necessity for her to employ an additional worker, so she is not worried about having to pay anyone for their salaries.
“Much of my income loss is due to the lockdown resulting from Covid-19. I sincerely hope that the pandemic will reach its end and everyone can live in a safe environment,” she said.
Challenges Faced by Freelancers
Chan Teik Kai, a student taking a Bachelor’s Degree of Media Production at Han Chiang University College of Communication (HCUC) is a freelance photographer who snaps pictures for wedding itineraries, and sometimes, for the newlyweds.
“I have been staying in my hometown in Ipoh even before the implementation of MCO, so I was not economically affected because the fundamental expenses were borne by my parents,” he said.
“I chose to be a freelancer because I want to enrich my experiences and earn some extra pocket money. The biggest loss for me during this period is being deprived of my additional income,” he said.
He said that if the situation was different, where he had already completed his studies and graduated from the University, he would have definitely found a stable job. Instead of working full time now, he is interested in focusing on his studies and his freelancer’s work. He believes that once the pandemic is over, his superiors will contact him when they need an additional hand.
He believes that other freelancers have their own difficulties too during this time, but life has to continue. Despite the difficulties, Kai urges all freelancers to be optimistic about the future.
“When the pandemic comes to an end, we all must remember to work hard in whichever field we might be landing in sooner or later. After all, nothing comes easy. We do not need to complain about this pandemic. Maybe because of it, we are learning to survive during tough times,” he said.
“Although it was a semester break at the beginning of the MCO, I did not have the opportunity to slow down like everyone else,” added Kai.
“Because my family is operating the catering business, I have been assisting my family by delivering the orders to our customers during the MCO. Well, I receive different orders every day. And I am the only one who knows how to use ‘Waze’, so I have to travel on my motorcycle almost every day. I am not staying at home every day like everyone else does, so I am somehow keeping myself busy,” he said.
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