SIBU: After almost four months of closure, blind masseur, Yap Chong Yap, 55, is glad he can now operate his massage centre.
On Monday (July 6), Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas announced that spas, wellness centres including foot massage and reflexology centres in the state could open but subject to the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Among the guidelines in the SOPs is that the massage beds or chairs must be between one and two metres apart to ensure social distancing based on the floor size of the premises.
The premises must also provide hand sanitisers in the general or open areas, lobby entrances, counters and all the rooms.
Business operators must also ensure their premises and equipment are regularly cleaned and sanitised after every customer.
Customers are advised to make prior appointments to avoid overcrowding.
“I can now earn money from the business. For four months, we were unable to work as we need to comply with the movement control order (MCO) that came into effect on March 18. During this period, I still have to pay rental for the premises and utility bills. I also have to take care of my daily household expenses,” said Yap.
Blind masseurs like Yap have received a one-off financial assistance from Sarawak Society for the Blind (SSM) and Society for the Blind Malaysia besides the Bantuan Sara Hidup, Bantuan Perihatin National and Sarawakku Sayang aid.
Partnering Yap in the centre are two other visually impaired persons, Nari Jerayit, 60, and Ting Hung, 35.
“I heard from the radio news at 6pm on Monday that massage centres can reopen today. SSM has also told us the good news in our WhatsApp group and advised us to comply with the SOPs,” added Yap.
He said they would not increase their prices despite having to spend on essential items like thermometers, face masks, hand gloves and hand sanitiser.
“Our rate is still RM38 for one hour of massage and RM28 for foot massage. We will not hike our rate but will depend on the good gesture of our customers. If customers want to give us RM1or RM2 extra, we will accept but we will not force them to give more,” he said.
Yap is confident that their business will be back to normal, once the recovery movement control order (RMCO) is lifted.
