Struggles Within The Essential Sector During MCO 3.0

As the only sector operating during the third Movement Control Order which started from 1st of June and extended till 28th of June, essential sector face various unspoken challenges to keep their business alive.

Many might only perceive that the essential sectors would be earning big cash during this period, but there is more towards it that the public might not fully understand or relate.

Many from the essential sectors have spoked out about their concerns and struggles with the SOP enforced during this period. It is understood that the severity of the current Covid-19 cases does make it necessary to have strict SOPs enforced to combat the rising cases.

“It makes it difficult for those who finishes work late and causes crowd to buy suppliance all at the same time.” mentioned by Lee Hui Jing, owner of BilaBila Mart. As stated, it could potentially cause and increase troublesome cluster cases which then makes the lockdown pointless. By then, certain conditions need to be considered by officials, as well to ensure that the utilization of SOP is run effectively and satisfied by most.

Previously, Lee’s store is fined by a council saying that staffs working in store must go through Covid Test to be able to work. It is understood that it is not a required SOP, yet they paid to avoid commotion. It is already hard enough for them to keep their business afloat and yet having to face official personnel’s that are unsympathetic is truly heart-breaking.

Other than that, due to the lockdown, cost of good had increased rapidly and became limited. Essential sectors too struggle to cope with the spike in price for various purpose. “The food price in our usual menu is considered higher priced so currently we have opted to downgrade the price which leads to our loss being more than our profit.” mentioned by Melynda Soon, owner of Bora Bora Bistro Penang.

Soon states that it has mainly affected the flexibility of all essential sectors’ business cash flows. Aside from what is mentioned, companies are also required to make huge changes such as reduce in manpower, salaries, or even sack some employees to survive through the pandemic.

Meanwhile, ICT Resource Centre stated that the lockdown has given essential sectors opportunities to push solutions that were not as necessary before but crucial now, as ‘Work from Home’ has become compulsory for many. “The lockdown has forced people to improve their digital literacy and the need for better digital hardware and software, has increased. However, many projects and tasks that require on-site presence have been delayed or put on hold on.” stated by IT consultant, Leanne Goh from ICT Resource Centre on example of how their business has been impacted positively and negatively.

For sure that there are some who benefits while some that undergoes lost. By partially understanding the situation within the essential sector, it helps the public relates more on their behalf. It also benefits the public in learning how we could help and support the local community’s essential business to help them overcome challenges during this pandemic.