GEORGE TOWN, July 17 ― Nicholas Pereira came to Penang two and a half years ago to set up a woodworking shop here due to his passion for making things out of wood but today, he is barely keeping his business afloat.
The 35-year-old’s Woodsmen Makerspace at Hin Bus Depot has been closed for weeks due to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) under Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (NRP).
Even before this year’s movement control orders (MCOs), the shop had already suffered a drop in business.
“It has been a year of struggling to survive and Hin Bus Depot has been very helpful about the rental throughout it all,” he said.
He had to withdraw money from his Employees Provident Fund (EPF) under i-SINAR early this year in order to make ends meet.
“I…
