MCO: MITI to examine operation of barber shops - Ismail Sabri

The International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) will be looking into the views of the people on the move to allow hair salons start operation during the third phase of Movement Control Order (MCO) starting on April 15.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said all views of the people on the matter would be considered.

"It is true, there are various opinions on social media such as WhatsApp discussing the matter.

"I believe and was informed that MITI would be studying all views," said Ismail Sabri who is also Defence Minister at a media conference after a special ministers' meeting on the implementation of MCO at Perdana Putra here today.

The Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when announcing the extension of MCO phase two yesterday said several sectors would be allowed to operate after this.

Following the Prime Minister's announcement, MITI issued a list of service sectors allowed to operate among them hair salons and optical shops.

There was a hot discussion on social media over the announcement as some members of the public were concerned over the possibility of creating new COVID-19 infection clusters in Malaysia at barber shops.

Consumers also shared news on social media that a barber in the United States died after being infected with COVID-19.

Meanwhile, in Fukuoka Japan, there were reports that some cases of COVID-19 clusters in the province originated from hair salons.

-- BERNAMA