PETALING JAYA: Fashion retailers and wholesalers nationwide are urging the government to consider allowing them to operate during the movement control order period so that festive goods can be sold as Chinese New Year is approaching.
Malaysia Garments Wholesale Merchants Association president Datuk Ang Say Tee said festive clothing was seasonal and stakeholders would suffer huge losses if shops are not allowed to open.
“Festive apparel stays trendy for a short period of time and CNY (Chinese New Year) clothes with Ox motives and designs would be irrelevant after CNY.
“We have goods worth close to RM1bil being stored in warehouses as retailers do not have an avenue to sell them.
“With no extra income and huge losses due to unsold goods, many industry players will not have money to pay salaries, rental and debt which can lead to the collapse of businesses, ” he said.
Ang said the association had sent a letter to the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) to plead for the reopening of the fashion sector with strict standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance.
When MCO 2.0 was implemented on Jan 13, apparel and shoe stores were not allowed to operate and this had affected big brands, small and medium enterprises and petty traders.
GM Klang Wholesale City Corporate Communications and Public Relations assistant manager Nur Faezah Mohd Arsad said they hoped the government would allow the fashion sector to operate in the next phase of the MCO.
“Most fashion store owners are currently suffering as not all of them ventured to the e-commerce platform, thus lacking digital presence to market their products.
“Stricter SOP should be enforced to ensure everyone is doing their part and at the same time to keep the business sectors alive, ” she said.
Kenanga Wholesale City Centre manager Fiona Bong said a blanket ban on all retailers was bad for business.
“It would be helpful if the government could seek advice on how certain industries operate, ” she said.
