A good barber is like a unicorn, rare and magical. And a barbershop talk is like therapy, but cheaper and with better haircuts.
– hairstylecamp.com
I may not have much hair left on top of my head, which explains why occasionally I go bald.
I experienced hair loss from the crown in my late forties. No, it’s not hereditary. My late dad did not suffer from hair loss; my mom and siblings are not going through the problem that I am facing.
Maybe, it has got to do with my job. Being a journalist can be very stressful. I entered the profession at a young age of 19 against the wishes of my parents.
Not many may know that we are in the top five of the 10 most stressful jobs – after soldiers, firefighters, pilots and policemen. Journalists have a huge responsibility in disseminating correct and truthful news amidst the trend of fake news.
Doctors say stress can lead to thinning of the hair. Anyway, come to think of it, that doesn’t worry me as much as being made aware of the fate of our good old local barber shops which may soon go out of business after operating for several decades in this country.
Indian barber shops, in particular, are unable to get workers to man their shops due to the government’s new ruling which restricts the recruitment of barbers from India. The ruling will force these traditional barbers to cease operations because of worker shortage.
This is the unkindest cut of all. These affordable barber shops have been part of the national heritage for over a century, with some of them existing for three generations.
There are more than 700 registered Indian barber shops nationwide, providing their services to Malaysians of all races and ages for generations.
Local Indians appear to monopolise the trade and that is because they are good at it. Others are not keen to enter this business.
Tell me where you can get a haircut for between RM10 and RM15! Just two weeks ago I had a haircut at my favourite traditional Indian barber shop in Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya, for just RM15, which included a five-minute head and neck massage.
A hair salon nearby charges RM40 for a simple haircut. It doesn’t matter how much hair you have on your head!
Those opting for the services of traditional barbers are from the lower- and middle-income groups as well as families with many school-going children.
Soon, the days of cheap haircuts will be over when the work permits of the 4,000-odd foreign barbers from India expire next June.
Gunasilan, the boss of the barber shop in Kelana Jaya which I mentioned earlier, lamented he will have no choice but to tutup kedai (close shop) next year as the government would no longer extend the work permits of his four workers from India.
He was pouring out his grievances on me, hoping that I would highlight his and the plight of several fellow barbers in the industry.
“We only hire two or three workers for each shop. Those employed by us are only a small fraction of the total foreign workers in Malaysia.
“We understand the government is trying to cut down on foreign labour, but other industries are hiring thousands of foreigners. Why target us?
“Those with big families come to us because we are affordable. We don’t overcharge. The most important thing is that they are very happy with our services and keep returning,” moaned Gunasilan.
He said the authorities should instead go after shops that hire illegal foreign workers.
Though I visit the cosy air-conditioned salons once in a while, I still prefer the traditional barbers because they are good listeners; they listen to your views on current affairs and your problems. I pour my heart out to them, never mind the lack of privacy.
Some of these barbers keep abreast of local issues and happenings and can be a good source of information.
While stylish unisex hair dressing salons sprout up in shopping malls, traditional barbers maintain their trade, offering their services, including shaving, shampooing, dyeing and massages – don’t get any ideas here; it’s just head, face and shoulder massage, nothing else – at just a fraction of the price of the classy air-conditioned salons.
If the traditional barbers disappear, the salons will certainly take the opportunity of the void and increase their prices. Is anyone going to stop them?
Apart from the affordable pricing, most people head to their favourite Indian barber because the latter knows the exact hairstyle his customers want. If you want to copy the hairstyle of your favourite film star or politician just show a photo of the celebrity or personality and the barber will get it done for you – at no cost.
They are simply irreplaceable. There are very few locals – if at all you can find them – who can fill the void.
The unity government, if it really cares about its people as it claims, should revoke the ruling. Why target a heritage business that has been contributing to society for nearly a hundred years and has been part of the national economy?
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
