The Malaysian Insight

EVENT-SPACE owners are pleading with Putrajaya to allow them to hold small-scale events during the movement-control order (MCO) period to ensure their survival as the ban is hitting them hard.

They also questioned the continued ban on events when other people-centric businesses, including pasar malam, are allowed to operate under strict health protocols.

“It is only fair for the government to allow us to operate.

“We will be able to control the crowd under the SOP, just like how pasar malam are run,” said Adam Scott who owns an event space called W_Are_House in Subang Jaya, Selangor.

“I lost more than 80% of revenue over the past year,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The company managed to make some money when the MCO was relaxed between July and September and in December during the conditional MCO.

“The rental for my space is about RM3,500 a month and although the landlord has given a small discount, I will still need to pay him back the discounted amount once business resumes.”

Other expenses include utility bills and commitments. He is resorting to food delivery to survive.

“To sustain and keep our event space business afloat, we are now doing online food delivery service.

“We are also into supplying balloons for birthday parties which are done at home.”

The National Security Council (NSC) should just reapply the previous SOP for weddings/social gatherings during the CMCO, said Scott.

Another event-space owner Ethan Pnwee, who runs Miracle Box Event Management, said revenue dropped by 40% since the first MCO last March.

The government should allow event space owners to resume their business, in line with approvals given to other businesses, said Pnwee.

“Our space can easily accommodate 50 people but we don’t mind reducing it to 30 in order to maintain social distancing as long as we are allowed to operate.”

Pnwee said small event-space providers like him are capable of carrying out SOP-compliant events, placing measures for health and safety and ensuring that attendees come in an orderly manner.

“That is our expertise,” he added.

Another event company called Brickhouse Group said it has suffered up to 90% losses since last March.

Brickhouse Group co-owner Christine Bong said the uncertainty over the MCO period is a major concern.

While praising the MCO 2.0 as helpful to contain the Covid-19 numbers, she said businesses need clarity to plan with precision.

“These current erratic lockdowns are extremely damaging to both the ongoing Covid-19 situation as well as the economy,” she said.

Under the MCO 2.0, the government has banned social gatherings, such as wedding receptions, birthday celebrations and reunions.

The MCO 2.0 ends on Thursday but is expected to be extended as the number of daily Covid-19 cases remains at four digits. – February 16, 2021.