By Karen Bong
KUCHING, June 12: Customers have the right to demand the letter certifying the Covid-19 free health status of foreign hairstylists before engaging their services.
Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob emphasised that under the standard operating procedure (SOP) for hair salons and barbershops reopening, foreign hairstylists and staff must go for swab tests for Covid-19 and test negative before they can resume work.
“If there are hair salons operating with foreign hairstylists or staff who have not been tested, we can take action to close the shops. I hope everyone can abide by the SOP issued.
“Yes, customers can insist foreign hairstylists to show proof of their Covid-19 test results which will be issued by the doctors,” he told a daily press conference on RMCO in Putrajaya today.
He also urged consumers to immediately report to the authorities if they find any foreign workers, including those in the hair and beauty industry, who are unable to show proof of their Covid-19 test results so action could be taken against the violators and operators.
This advice came following viral news about a foreign hairstylist in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur infected with Covid-19, but Ismail could not confirm the case as the Ministry of Health (MOH) has yet to update on the matter.
“So I cannot comment if the case is real or not. But if it is true, the hair salon premises will definitely be closed.
“Like I have mentioned, if a positive case is detected whether it is at a construction site, hair salon or factory, the premises will be closed and screening will be carried out,” he said.
Sabri thus emphasised the importance of customers to provide their contact details when visiting any public premises so that contact tracing can be carried out when an infection was identified.
Meanwhile, meetings, seminars, workshops, courses and training will be allowed to be conducted under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) period.
However, Ismail said that the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the activities is still being improved by the National Security Council (NSC) and MOH.
“The SOP will be tabled next Monday hopefully for approval. I will announce the SOP for these activities then,” he added.
On non-Muslim houses of worship, Ismail said that restrictions had been eased since June 10 with 171 houses of worships nationwide approved to open but the operation was for one day and for important religious services only.
“As agreed in the SOP, not more than 30 people are allowed in the premises currently. But the condition for capacity has been updated for federal territory where mosques can cater to one-third of its space for Muslim worshippers on normal days.
“With changes in the SOP for mosques, similar adjustments will be made for other houses of worships in which the Minister of National Unity will table the new SOP proposals also on Monday during the cabinet meeting,” he explained.—DayakDaily
