SIBU: The movement control order (MCO) imposed in March 13 and the subsequent restriction orders that succeeded it have severely impacted various businesses, and the blind massage business is no exception.
For four blind masseurs, it has been four long months of sheer haplessness with no income.
The massage centre at Jalan Salim here, operated by Yap Chong Yap, 55, Jeremi Ngalambang, 44, Nari Jerayit, 60, and his wife Uton Bilum, has remained closed since mid-March.
“We are now relying on government aid which comes in handy as we have no other source of income,” said Yap.
The long layoff has deprived them of any form of income.
“Every morning, I wake up wondering when the government will allow us to re-open our business. We cannot remain at home, lying idle with no proper income. We need to get back to work,” he lamented.
With no income they are unable to settle the rentals. Fortunately for them, their landlord is understanding and gives them discounts on the rentals.
“The discounts may not be 50 per cent but it helps to lessen our burden,” said Yap.
He hoped the authorities would consider their plight and allow blind massage centres to resume business, though with strict standard operating procedure (SOP).
“As we are from the OKU (persons with disability) group, the government should come up with a different set of SOP as no one single SOP can fit all businesses,” he said.
For example, Yap said, due to their visual handicap, customers can do their own temperature scanning, including writing their particulars, in the log book.
On the announcement by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin that the government will give RM300 to OKU and single mothers, Yap hoped the money would be channelled through the Welfare Department.
“I am a recipient of monthly aid from the Welfare Department. If the RM300 aid is made available through the department, it will be more convenient for me,” he said.
Their centre is located on the first floor of a shophouse. It was opened in 2016, offering different forms of massages, including Thai style massage, oil massage, scrapping, cupping, and foot massage.
The charge is RM55 for a 90- minute Thai massage.
Yap who lost his right eye in an accident, is also visually impaired on the other eye.
The accident happened 20 years ago in a timber camp in Miri where he was working as a shovel driver. He was in a vehicle driven by a colleague when it crashed head-on with another vehicle.
He said before the MCO, they would have 10 customers on a good day.
“Our customers are people referred to us by the blind centre or by friends. Most of them are regular customers who are satisfied with our service,” said Yap.
Prior to the opening of this centre, Yap who is married with three children, ran a similar centre with three others in Sibu Jaya for four years.
The four of them, however, disbanded after the expiry of the rental agreement.
Yap is a well-trained masseur, having received his training in Kuching, Thailand, Kuala Lumpur and the Sibu Blind Centre.
“I have been in this job for 17 years. And this will be my job until I retire,” he said.
His three colleagues have more than four years’ experience. They are happy that they have a stable job as masseurs.
“We were once weaving baskets at the blind centre but have to quit as there is no supply of rattan,” said Uton, who has three children.
The Naris stay in Kampung Sentosa while Jereni is their neighbour. Jeremi’s sister sends them to the centre every morning while Yap’s wife will send them home every evening.
As colleagues, the four of them click perfectly well.
