PETALING JAYA: Hair salon operators are bracing for tougher times ahead by trying to bring in as much business as possible before the Chinese New Year.

As the “super peak” period before the festive season is on now, many are worried that if they are unable to cash in on this window of opportunity they may not have enough reserves to make it through the “slow season” between March and May.

Malaysian Hairdressing Association honorary president Datin Winnie Loo said that the week before and after Chinese New Year is when salons cater to the highest number of clientele.

“We have endured too many ‘bad hair days’ and we cannot afford it anymore.

“Even for salons like ours that cater to a higher class of clientele, we are struggling, what more the smaller salons?” she said, adding that the Covid-19 SOP of only allowing haircuts is not helping.

Loo, who runs the A Cut Above group of hair salons, noted that salons maintained good hygiene and cleanliness even before the pandemic hit.

“No one wants to go to a dirty salon. Now that we are wearing PPEs, we have not heard of any hair salon that was a source of infection.

“Hair salons should be allowed to offer the full range of services.

“We have been taking every possible precaution without passing on the extra costs to the customers, ” Loo added.

Ipoh (Perak) Hairdressers Association Malaysia president Titus Tok said many operators were hoping to recover profits that were lost last year due to the movement control order.

“The super slow season is apparent after the Chinese New Year from March to May.

“However, it is rather bleak now as we can only do so much, ” he said, referring to the “haircut only” restriction.

With almost 70% business losses recorded during the super peak season, Tok said operators would not be able to pay their staff commission and salaries, predicting that about 20% of operators in Perak would have to close down after the festive period.

Malaysia Hair Salon Owners Association (Mahas) chairman AK Selvan claimed that almost 6,000 of the 17,000 hair salon operators in the country had closed down since the MCO began last year.

“With strict adherence to the SOP from June last year till now, there has been no infection reported at salons.

“If a Malaysian goes for a haircut every two months, almost 100 million Malaysians have gone to a barber between June last year and January 2021.

“Doesn’t this show that we are one of the safest sectors that should be allowed to offer full service?” asked Selvan, adding that the sector contributes some RM13.5bil to the country’s economy annually.

He said the cashflow of many hair salons and barbers are now at a breaking point.

He called on the government to offer term loan or overdraft facility to help them weather the tougher times ahead.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/02/07/pulling-out-their-hair-over-sop