GEORGE TOWN: A traditional Indian laundry cleaning service in Kampung Dhobi Ghaut here will re-open for business after being shuttered since the Movement Control Order (MCO) came into force on March 18.
The century-old business has been run by five generations of proprietor M. Parathirajan's family.
The 40-year-old said he welcomes the government's decision to allow him to operate, as it would enable him and other family members to make ends meet.
"Our customers are mainly colleges and hotel chains in Bayan Baru, Bayan Lepas, Batu Feringghi and Seberang Prai.
"Since the colleges and hotels could not operate as usual over the past month, we have had no customers coming to us to send their dirty laundry," he told the NSTP when met today.
The traditional Indian dhobi business is well known in Penang, as it still uses traditional methods to clean laundry.
With the MCO still in place and employees unable to clock in, Parathirajan is helped by his cousin, S. Boharaj, 24, and another worker to wash the laundry.
He said he has more than 50 packets of freshly washed laundry waiting to be picked up by customers.
"Some of them came before the MCO to drop off the dirty laundry, but couldn't pick them up during the stay-at-home order, as our premises was beyond the 10km radius for them.
"We have contacted these customers to tell them that we are open, but due to the journey restriction, they couldn't come," he added.
He said prior to this, they earned about RM10,000 a month.
He added that now, with the MCO, his income would be less than RM1,000.
"There is nothing we can do since everyone is impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"What is important is that we can overcome this situation and return to normal," he said.
Yesterday, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that the Penang Special Security Committee (JKKN) meeting had decided that additional sectors of the economy will be permitted to operate in accordance with the federal government's tightened new conditions.
"Electrical and electronics shops, and laundry shops that have applied for resumption of operations and have been approved by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia (Miti) are allowed to operate daily from 8am to 8pm effective April 24 (Friday)," he was quoted as saying.
