Long and short of it – barbers need foreign workers

PETALING JAYA: Barbers here are all ruffled, claiming that their business is hanging by a hair following a freeze on recruitment of foreign workers.

About 3,000 local-run barber shops had been affected, said Kuala Lumpur Hair Salon Cooperative Bhd chairman A.K. Selvan.

“Since 2011, I had to close three shops of my own. Now I have three left. I would say 50% of barber shops had to downsize since the freeze was imposed,” he said.

Selvan also claimed that many barbers lost about 70% to 80% of their workers since the recruitment freeze for their trade started in 2011.

The remaining ones were losing out, partly due to foreigners who were running barber shops illegally, Selvan claimed.

“For example, I have a shop in Kajang. On the left and right side, there are foreigner-run barber shops.

“I charge RM10 but they charge RM5. It is not fair to us,” he said.

He said that about 300 barbers would gather at Wisma Tun Sambanthan in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday for a plan to submit a memorandum to the Government.

“For generations, barbers have supported the Government. That is why we have faith that they will help us,” he said.

He said they hoped the Government would consider allowing the recruitment of foreign workers by barbers since Malaysians did not seem keen on the job.

“The last intake of foreign workers was in 2011 when we got a special approval through the Malaysian Associated Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to bring in 1,000 workers.

“After that, the intake was frozen. We are struggling to survive in the business. About 80% of our workers have either returned to their home countries or run away.”

He also noted that in 2015, via the Socioeconomic Development of Indian Community Unit, the Govern­ment gave a RM1.2mil grant to train 100 Indian youths from the B40 income group.

“We have trained the students. However, they are not keen on working for others. They prefer to set up their own businesses and become entrepreneurs,” he said.

Barbers are prepared to pay foreign workers a better salary should the Government unfreeze their recruitment, said Selvan.