Aaron Chuo
SIBU (May 25): A group of gym, fitness and studio operators in Sibu has signed a petition calling on the government to roll out the financial aid packages to help prevent their business from collapsing.
The group’s spokesman Aaron Chuo said they would forward the petition to the Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee (SSDMC) coordinator Dr Annuar Rapaee, hoping the latter would look into the matter with urgency.
“We are suffering and with zero income for the past two months, our livelihood is at stake and in tremendous hardship,” he said during a Zoom meeting with the press this morning.
More than 10 local gym, fitness and studio operators also attended the meeting.
Chuo said since the implementation of the first Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18 last year, their business had suffered losses amounting to more than RM300,000.
Chuo, the founder of Empire Gym, noted that they had closed and resumed their business three times since the implementation of the first MCO.
“The closure have taken a heavy toll on the gym, fitness and studio operators and we are in real dire state and hopefully, the government will roll out special financial aid for us,” he added.
Chuo did not discount the possibility that their business would remain closed even after the current Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) expires on June 7.
“There is nothing to suggest that our business will have a chance to resume especially when the Covid-19 pandemic continue to register a record breaking number of cases each day with no end in sight,” he added.
Without any income, Chuo said it would be a mammoth task for the operators to pay the rentals, the salary of their employees and also the amenity bills.
Chuo said they were able to pull through despite the closing-and-opening of their business last year, until the emergence of the Pasai Siong cluster early this year which forced their business to close until to date.
“With zero income for the past few months, many of these operators are digging deep into their reserves and I do not think they will be able to last long.”
Chuo concurred that the implementation of the MCO would be an effective means to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic but the government should not neglect to look after the business sectors to ensure their survival.
He said gym, fitness and studio centres also played an important role in uplifting the living standard of the people in the society.
“It is a venue for the people to conduct their exercise, hence maintaining and helping the country to keep a healthy population.”