SIBU, June 8: Not all barber shops and hair salons here will impose a surcharge for a hair cut when business resumes tomorrow (June 9).
Some would stick to their old price while others might charge extra of between RM1 to RM5 as they opined that they have to incur extra expenses in buying protective and safety equipment.
Sibu Hair Salons Association chairman Alex Ting said he had advised operators not to impose a surcharge if they could during this difficult time.
“If it is unavoidable, they should only charge between RM1 to RM2 extra and not up to RM5 as it will especially affected the poor,” he said.
V-Hair Image Studio is one of them which opted to keep to their old price.
Despite having to incur extra expenses to comply with the standard operating procedure for the reopening, including without income for almost three months of closure due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) customers of V-Hair can be assured that they will be charged the same fee for a hair cut.
A hair salon spokeswoman, Michelle Lai, said they were more than happy that the government had allowed barber shops and hair salons to reopen.
“We would like to thank the government for allowing us to reopen as since our closure on March 18 following the enforcement of MCO, we were without any income.
“Moreover we still have to pay for the full rental. So when we resume business tomorrow, we will charge the same price for haircut,” said Lai, adding that the salon will even be providing free mask for every customer.
Ahead of the reopening, V-Hair like other salons had swung into action to gear themselves up following the announcement by chairman of State Disaster Management Committee, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas last week that salons can reopen but only for haircut.
“We are very strict with the SOP as we want to ensure the safety of our customers and staff,” she said, adding that customers could only enter the premises by putting on the face mask being provided.
On ensuring social distancing, Lai said customers who want a haircut need to make an appointment first. Of the six seats, only five will be in use where each one of them is one metre apart.
Every seat will be provided with hand sanitiser.
Touching on payment, customers are advised to use e-payment application such as Sarawak Pay and Boost but those who prefer to pay by cash will be asked to put the money in a basket.
Lai hoped that in the coming weeks, the state government will allow salons to function like pre MCO period to include other services such as hair treatment, perming, hair washing, facial wash, and hair straightening.
“In Peninsular Malaysia, hair salons are now allowed to offer these services and not just hair cutting. We hope it will be the same for us soon,” she added. -DayakDaily
