Zakaria Zarkasi, manager at Techauz.com, said with work-from-home and home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) policies, the IT sector is a necessity.
“I am confused why the government says we are ‘not essential’. Without technical support, all work will definitely be disrupted,” he told FMT.
He urged Putrajaya to allow the retail IT sector to open immediately so it can repair and service gadgets.
“As IT experts, we try our best to help parents troubleshoot faulty devices, but the majority need additional help,” he said.
Firdaus Al Musanna Ahmad, who runs a full-time online device repair service in Kuala Lumpur, said the closure of IT stores has made it difficult to help those in need.
Although IT spare parts are available online, he said, there are late delivery issues, taking up to two weeks to repair his customers’ devices instead of the usual two or three days.
“There are customers who are willing to courier their laptops from Kelantan and Terengganu. We can repair them but it will take a long time because the spare parts have to be bought online.
“The problem is they want it in a hurry, ” said Firdaus.
He is appealing for flexibility to operate his business but with strict SOPs.
“I pity the students and parents with homework and office work disrupted because of no technical support,” he said.
Civil servant Azmi Sukene expressed disappointment over the closure of stationery shops, bookstores and IT repair shops.
“Do I have to wait until the lockdown is over to fix my laptop? The children also had to skip some online classes because they had to share mobile phones,” he told FMT.
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman shared a tweet on complaints from people confused as to why computer shops were not allowed to open and expressed concerns for those who need their IT gadgets repaired quickly.
“If there is a laptop problem, where should it be sent to? The tomyam shop?” Syed Saddiq asked.
His tweet received over 40,000 likes and was retweeted over 30,000 times, and garnered comments that raised concerns over damaged laptops.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, in his special address last week, had said that retail outlets, especially those selling and repairing computers, would be allowed to open under Phase 2 of the national recovery plan.
Phase 2 will be initiated when the nation records below 4,000 Covid-19 cases daily and 10% of the population is vaccinated.