GEORGE TOWN, April 13 — Penang state exco Jagdeep Singh Deo has warned barbershops and hair salons in the state not to open during the third phase of the movement control order (MCO) or risk being shut down by the authorities.

The Housing, Local Government and Town and Country Planning Committee chairman said local authorities have shut down facilities that failed to comply with the MCO and social distancing rules.

"We will do this to hair salons and barbers in Penang if they do not comply with the MCO,” he warned.

The Penang state government has decided not to follow the federal government’s decision to allow barbers to open in the third phase of the MCO starting April 15. 

Jagdeep said it is impossible for hairdressers and barbers to maintain the one-metre social distancing rule, and therefore, these businesses are not allowed to open.

He called on the federal government to reconsider its decision to allow barbers to re-open, even if only in green zones.

"I ask the federal government to reconsider this. If they allow barbers to operate in green zones, those from yellow and orange zones will go to the barbers. How will they control this? The green zones will become orange and red zones,” he said.

He said the third phase of the MCO is only for another two weeks so everyone should continue to comply with it for its entire duration. 

There are a total of 1,645 hair salons and barbers in Penang: 386 on the island and 1,259 on the mainland.

Jagdeep appealed to the public and all hair salons to understand that the state government’s decision is to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and the possibility of creating new clusters.

He said there is now a 99 per cent MCO compliance rate among all businesses in the state and that he hopes this will continue during the third phase of the MCO.