James Kon
The public can now support four young aspiring barbers by getting their haircuts at Barberku, a newly set up barbershop under the Incubation Programme of the Youth Development Centre (PPB).
Located at the VIP parking area of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin officiated the opening as the guest of honour.
Members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Yang Berhormat Haji Abdul Hamid @ Sabli bin Haji Arsad and Yang Berhormat Nik Hafimi binti Abdul Haadii as well as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Pengiran Haji Mohd Hasnan bin Pengiran Haji Ali Hassan, Permanent Secretary (Administration, Finance and Estate) at the MCYS Pengiran Mohd Amirrizal bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud and Deputy Permanent Secretary (Youth and Sports) at the MCYS Colonel (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Maiddin bin Pengiran Haji Said were also in attendance.
According to PPB Assistant Director Fauziah binti Haji Mohd Salleh, the opening of Barberku was a momentous occasion. “The Incubation Programme is one of the initiatives of the government through the MCYS to provide opportunities for the youth to utilise skills learnt, such as a short course in street art haircut, to become enterprising individuals,” she said.
Fauziah said the PPB not only provides youth incubation at the centre but other strategic venues under the ministry, such as the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.
On top of nurturing the youth with free courses, she said, the centre also provides grants to young entrepreneurs to ease the financial burden of setting up a business.
Fauziah said with the facilities provided, the PPB will continue to monitor the development of the youth until their business ventures have been established.
“We hope that once the youth have become successful, they will provide job opportunities, thus reducing the unemployment rate in the country,” she added.
With the street art haircut course, Fauziah said the centre hopes the youth have been equipped with enough skills to compete with more established barbers in the country.
Twenty-five-year-old Mateen noted that the government has been stepping up efforts in tackling youth unemployment in the country.
“Through the PPB under the MCYS, the government is providing us with an opportunity to build our enterprises,” he said.
Mateen said his interest in the barbershop began with some YouTube videos on hair cutting and styling.
“(The profession) suited it, in a way. I would watch the videos all the time, until I fell asleep,” he said. “My wife then contacted her friend Khai, who asked me to join him in a short programme at the Youth Development Centre.”
Barberku is manned by Mateen, Khai, Shah and Rauf, who are recipients of the Micro Grant Assistance under the MCYS.
The quartet completed the course in July and is now calling for the public to support their new venture.