Datuk Lau Nai Hoh
SIBU: Sarawak Chinese Cultural Association president Datuk Lau Nai Hoh urges the government to consider allowing some businesses to operate during the movement control order (MCO) period.
Businesses that do not deal directly with consumers or huge numbers of people, and also those industries that are confined to their specific work areas such as construction and shipbuilding should be allowed to resume their operations during the (MCO) extension period, he suggested.
“Do not get me wrong. I fully support and understand the need for the movement control order. There is no dispute about that at all.
“The government is doing all that it can for the moment, and the people should play their part in supporting the fight against Covid-19,” Lau said in a press release yesterday.
Both the federal and state governments should be lauded for what they have done for the people, thus far, he added.
“I am just hoping that the authorities may consider the resumption of certain businesses, albeit under very special circumstances and very strict hygiene enforcements,” he said.
Many businesses have multiplier effect and when they are stopped; not only the owners and workers were affected, but everyone down the supply chain, he opined.
Citing construction, he said the developer awards the project to a contractor.
The contractor will then award the masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical wiring and the likes to many other sub-contractors, he explained.
“From the above, one could see that it was not just the developer that was required to stop work. But many others down the supply chain.
“The same goes with shipbuilding or other enterprises. It is not just workers in the main company are affected. Every worker down the supply chain is affected.”
In the case of shipbuilding, one of the top five income generators for a town like Sibu, Lau said many of his workers housed at the company quarters had been pleading with him to allow them to work but he refused to give in to their pleas as the MCO is in effect.
To assist them, Lau has been giving them free rice and some essential items.
“But they told me they would rather be working as they are daily paid and while I have taken care of their basic needs, they have hire purchase installments to pay,” Lau said.
In view of the special circumstances of certain industries, Lau hoped that the authorities would look into easing some of the MCO restrictions.
“We are not asking for a free pass. We are asking for the authorities to look into the possibilities.
“I understand that one size cannot fit all. As such we can look individually at circumstances. All we are asking is for the authorities to open themselves to the merits of allowing certain segments of the population to work.”
Lau believed this be would go a long way in helping the people feed themselves, instead of just relying on handouts.