KUALA LUMPUR – Fitness enthusiasts were caught by surprise after an announcement was made yesterday by the Health Ministry (MOH) to reopen cinemas while no decision has been made to do the same for gyms and fitness centres.
MOH announced that cinemas will be allowed to resume operations tomorrow in a limited capacity for fully vaccinated customers.
Speaking to The Vibes, the Malaysian Fitness Coalition (MFC) stressed that gyms and fitness centres are also part of a huge economic sector.
MFC member, Yen Kee Toh, highlighted three reasons as to why these facilities should be allowed to open – economic stimulation, physical health and psychological wellbeing.
“We must holistically look at our ecosystem. I realise whenever we speak about the economy, every industry is affected but when you look at fitness, I think it’s more holistic – economically, physically and mentally.
“When people have no income, how are they going to spend and (eventually) stimulate the country’s economy?
“Additionally, health is the most significant factor. As of now, we may be unable to quantify the medical cost but what about in the long run?
“Being physically active strengthens the immune system, reduces the risk of falling ill and dying from infectious diseases by more than a third,” said Yen.
Another representative of the coalition, Andrew Phillips, shared the same sentiment.
“I feel that it is utterly important to contribute to the rakyat’s health and wellbeing, both physically and psychologically, which I think is something unique to our industry.
“So much research has proven that the body benefits from staying fit.”
As vaccination campaigns are rolled out around the world, including in Malaysia, the benefits of exercise and physical activity are well documented to elevate its success rate.
In a recent study by Glasgow Caledonian University, new evidence shows that an active person is 50 per cent more likely to have higher levels of antibodies post vaccination compared to someone with a sedentary lifestyle.
“I have confidence in the (Youth and Sports) ministry. We had a very extensive dialogue with them recently, which (I believe) will bear fruit very soon.
“They took our feedback and guidelines on SOP adherence, and we are working closely for the benefit of all. It’s just a matter of time,” Andrew said.
Yen, who also co-founded The Playground Fitness Personal Training Studio, a premier boutique private training facility in Bangsar, added that while everyone is concerned about the government’s decision to allow operations to resume, the industry players will need to focus on being ready for the reopening.
“For us, I know that waiting for another week (to reopen) is a big thing, but we need to make sure that we adhere to strict guidelines the moment we are allowed to open again,” said Yen, assuring that gyms are safe as their low on-site transmission rates have resulted in zero clusters.
“Most of our clients (at The Playground) say that they are not too concerned because they have witnessed how diligent we are when it comes to SOP compliance.
“At the moment, we’ve been focusing on getting our staff fully vaccinated, and we are constantly encouraging our clients to get themselves vaccinated as well if they wish to continue their workout regimen with us,” Yen told The Vibes.
Andrew, who is also the senior managing director at Evolution Wellness, which owns and operates Chi Fitness, Celebrity Fitness, Fitness First, Fire and Go Fit Club in Malaysia, said that it has become more challenging for a lot of people to exercise at home as it requires personal motivation.
“Quite frankly, it is far more difficult for fitness enthusiasts to come up with a reason to exercise at home than it is to commit to a personal trainer or attend a group class, where you can make friends,” he said, adding that their clients have been looking forward to getting back to the gym.
Andrew and Yen both agreed that for the first time, sports and fitness organisations across the board − from venue operators and sporting event organisers to gym owners − are coming together to fight for the industry.
They are optimistic that this will help drive the country’s sports and fitness industry to the next level.
Although there has not been any decision made by the government to allow gyms and fitness centres to reopen, the association intends to support any decisions made by MOH as they believe it would be in the rakyat’s best interest.
In a tweet today, health minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, said his ministry will be jointly developing ventilation guidelines with the National Security Council (NSC) for indoor fitness centres.
“(We are) Working on it urgently,” he said in a tweet. – The Vibes, September 8, 2021.
