LETTER | State-driven production of batik-themed, reusable face masks

LETTER | It’s a great idea. And one that’s absolutely crucial in managing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic effectively.

But it takes a whack at people’s pockets, especially the poor, and for that reason alone, many may not adhere to the mandatory mask-use in public.

A family of four using six pieces of single-use face-masks a day (160 pieces a month) and paying RM1.20 per piece, will fork out about RM216 a month towards face masks purchase. And this constitutes about 20 percent of the country's minimum wage of RM1,200.

The other possible scenario is that the B40, lower M40 category, migrant workers and refugees might end up reusing face masks to cut costs, thereby putting themselves and others at risk.

So, the government needs to shift its strategy and consider subsidising the production of reusable cloth face masks to meet local demands and keep prices affordable for all.

I am talking about a cottage industry, which could spur entrepreneurship and employment for people who have lost jobs during the movement control order (MCO) period.

Funds could be channelled through a Small Business Entrepreneurship programme that can be expanded to include non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs) that are already producing cloth masks.

The government could also work with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Mara and agencies offering design and tailoring classes to start producing for the market.

And pump in money towards R&D to ensure these masks will pass the bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE), particle filtration efficiency (PFE), synthetic blood penetration test, fluid resistance, filtration rate and flammability tests.

Our neighbour, Vietnam, is already on the ball by pioneering reusable face-masks made from Vietnamese coffee. The biodegradable filter is developed by nanotechnology and coffee and needs to be replaced only after 30 days.

The technology behind Hong Kong’s reusable Cu Mask is financed by the city state’s Innovation and Technology Fund. It is designed with multiple layers to immobilise bacteria and common viruses and serves as an effective barrier to droplets.

South Korean researchers from the government-funded university, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, developed a recyclable face mask which is equipped with a nanofiber filter. This filter remains effective even after washing it more than 10 times.

On top of making it affordable, reusable cloth face masks are more environmentally-friendly and help mitigate climate change. It could also help to reduce the 10 million masks we dispose on a daily basis in the country.

And we can do all of this with pop and glamour by incorporating beautiful batik fabric and prints.

CHARLES SANTIAGO is the Member of Parliament for Klang.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.