Relaxation against salon operators a tactical move
Tan Ken TenPublished: Feb 7, 2014 3:13 AM | Updated: Feb 7, 2014 3:16 AM
The reintroduction of the gender segregation regulation on salon owners and hairdressers by the Kelantan state government once again tramples on the rights and jeopardises the income and livelihoods of non-Muslim Kelantanese salon owners.
If the PAS-led Kelantan state government had been lax on this by-law for over a year as claimed, its so-called relaxation was a political tactic to discourage driving non-Muslim voters away to BN. Now that PAS has recaptured Kelantan, the PAS leadership reveals their claws in subjugating the rakyat by compelling its hardline religious values unto non-Muslims.
Really? Every single hair salon operator is smiling at the gender separation order?
Moreover, the claim by Kelantan Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment Committee chairperson Abdul Fattah Mahmood that “all salon owners and hairdressers in the state are now aware of the ruling” (New Straits Times, Feb 6, 2014) is simply unacceptable because how could he possibly have spoken to every hair salon owner and hairdresser in Kelantan, and thence claim to speak on all of their behalf that they have accepted these restrictions?
We must not dismiss the possibility that any non-Muslim hair salon operator or hairdresser who appear to agree to the said gender segregation regulations might have done so under duress, for fear of their business permit not being renewed or enforcement teams might conduct more frequent raids.
Kelantan MCA once again stresses that the forced gender segregation on salon operators and hairdressers violates the personal freedoms of non-Muslims. Even worse, by slapping fines of between RM200 to RM300, the PAS-helmed Kelantan state government is literally snipping away the income and livelihoods of minorities in Kelantan who are out to earn a decent and honest living.
If such by-laws continue, Kelantan will cause more and more talented and skilled workers to flee this east coast state in search of greener pastures elsewhere. Moreover, on a macro-scale, these regulations and obsoleteness will turn-off would-be investors or budding Malaysian entrepreneurs who may want to set up a hair-care, hair-styling school to train youngsters in Kelantan.
The PAS government of Kelantan should pay more attention to ensuring clean treated water supply to all its residents or put a stop to unfettered logging at Lojing, Gua Musang which is polluting the river source of water of the orang asli, rather than targeting non-Muslim proprietors.
TAN KEN TEN is Kelantan MCA liaison committee deputy chairperson.
If the PAS-led Kelantan state government had been lax on this by-law for over a year as claimed, its so-called relaxation was a political tactic to discourage driving non-Muslim voters away to BN. Now that PAS has recaptured Kelantan, the PAS leadership reveals their claws in subjugating the rakyat by compelling its hardline religious values unto non-Muslims.
Really? Every single hair salon operator is smiling at the gender separation order?
Moreover, the claim by Kelantan Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment Committee chairperson Abdul Fattah Mahmood that “all salon owners and hairdressers in the state are now aware of the ruling” (New Straits Times, Feb 6, 2014) is simply unacceptable because how could he possibly have spoken to every hair salon owner and hairdresser in Kelantan, and thence claim to speak on all of their behalf that they have accepted these restrictions?
We must not dismiss the possibility that any non-Muslim hair salon operator or hairdresser who appear to agree to the said gender segregation regulations might have done so under duress, for fear of their business permit not being renewed or enforcement teams might conduct more frequent raids.
Kelantan MCA once again stresses that the forced gender segregation on salon operators and hairdressers violates the personal freedoms of non-Muslims. Even worse, by slapping fines of between RM200 to RM300, the PAS-helmed Kelantan state government is literally snipping away the income and livelihoods of minorities in Kelantan who are out to earn a decent and honest living.
If such by-laws continue, Kelantan will cause more and more talented and skilled workers to flee this east coast state in search of greener pastures elsewhere. Moreover, on a macro-scale, these regulations and obsoleteness will turn-off would-be investors or budding Malaysian entrepreneurs who may want to set up a hair-care, hair-styling school to train youngsters in Kelantan.
The PAS government of Kelantan should pay more attention to ensuring clean treated water supply to all its residents or put a stop to unfettered logging at Lojing, Gua Musang which is polluting the river source of water of the orang asli, rather than targeting non-Muslim proprietors.
TAN KEN TEN is Kelantan MCA liaison committee deputy chairperson.
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