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PETALING JAYA: A minister’s recent comment that it “doesn’t matter” if bars and pubs reopen has left a number of stakeholders upset that the thousands of jobs and billions of ringgit generated by the industry are being trivialized.
Despite the fact that almost all sectors resumed operations during the recovery movement control order (RMCO) period starting in June, the government’s policy that it would be difficult to observe physical distancing in bars, pubs and nightclubs it means that these once vibrant places have remained closed.
Plantations and Commodities Industries Minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali last week supported the permanent closure of such establishments, saying there was no need to “party until drunk and cause trouble” in an apparent reference to driving under the influence. of alcohol.
Godwin Pereira, the founder of Kyo, a nightclub in the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, said such blanket statements were unjustified and unfairly attacked an industry that paid billions of ringgit in taxes.
“There may be some bad apples, but it doesn’t apply to the masses,” he said.
“Foreign investors like me have invested millions in the industry because we want to build a global product and introduce Malaysia.
“There is a lot of dynamism in the Malaysian tourism scene. Politicians should therefore think about what they say because it has an impact on the impression it leaves on the country, both locally and internationally, ”he said.
In addition to being a key driver of the tourism sector, Malaysia’s nightlife provides employment for a variety of DJs, musicians and singers, with promoters, managers, security guards, bartenders, chefs, bartenders, and a host of staff also counting with the industry. put food on the table.
A popular DJ in the dance music scene, Victor Goh, said the minister needed to understand that the entertainment industry and tourism went hand in hand and were a vital contributor to the economy in terms of tax dollars.
“Closing it will have greater consequences,” he said.
DJ Kuma, another veteran local DJ who has spent more than two decades behind the decks, said Khairuddin’s statement could spell the collapse of the music industry.
“It is a selfish comment. We are a multiracial country that enjoys freedom. This (comment) totally kills all artists, musicians and the music industry itself, ”he said.
The industry has been in a slump since the motion control order (MCO) was implemented in March to combat the spread of Covid-19, with months of zero income, combined with fixed costs like rent and wages, consuming the owners’ reserves. .
With high operating expenses, Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur’s monthly overhead was previously reported to be about RM1 million, perhaps it was no surprise that the Klang Valley Pub, Night Club and Bar Association said in July that 20% of the Nightclubs in the region had called him one night since the MCO was announced.
Khairuddin’s comments on his Facebook page supported a statement made jokingly by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at a recent convention, during which he said it would be better if pubs and bars remain closed as physical distancing would be difficult to observe.
Chief Security Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob also recently vowed to be tough on people trapped in pubs and nightclubs after a record 600 people were arrested in such venues on August 31. He said nightclubs and pubs were not allowed to open yet “but they are doing so illegally.”
While Pereira said nightclub operators would easily accept any government SOP that would allow them to resume business and work to stop their losses, bartenders like Zack (not his real name) hope to have jobs waiting for them once the bill is lifted. RMCO. December 31st.
“We’ve all been out of work for months, and the minister’s comment is another big blow for us,” said the mixologist at a Bangsar club.
“With the cost of living on the rise, it will be even more difficult to survive if these nightspots close. Times are tough and we are just trying to make ends meet. “
