The Malaysian Insight

ABOUT half of morning markets and pasar malam in Kuala Lumpur remain closed despite being allowed to operate under the recovery movement-control order (RMCO) as business has been slow following the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, said traders.

Customers are staying away from these places, forcing many traders to close shop again.

Kuala Lumpur Mobile Hawkers’ Association president Lim Suai Chai told The Malaysian Insight that many markets opted not to operate after considering these factors and the low profits.

He said only less than half of 98 morning and night markets in Kuala Lumpur have reopened since July.

“An estimated 25 to 28 opened again and, at most, 40,” he said.

Lim said before the peak of Covid-19 cases last weekend, the crowd actually recovered to about 60% to 70%.

“But once there were more cases, the crowd dropped again, to about 50%.”

Lim also said many of the markets are not big, and the government’s standard operating procedure (SOP) incurs additional expenses for traders.

This also affects their income and the revenue is not enough to make ends meet.

“If the crowd is small and if the traders have no business, they would rather not open.

“In some areas, there may be 30 stalls, and when we charge RM30 per stall for doing business there, the stall owners have to pay more than what they earn,” he said.

Lim said the association found that pasar malam on Mondays and Thursdays are running at a loss.

It costs RM140 to hire two Rela officers to maintain order at a pasar malam and with the recent rainy season, only 14 vendors opened for business, said Lim.

With this, the association itself only made a small income.

This does not include the salaries that the association must pay to the executive committee members and staff, he said.

It is understandable for traders who are more profit-oriented to avoid incurring more losses, he said.

The association and other groups are making up for the situation by using income from better-crowded pasar malam to subsidise the smaller ones.

“Some places might lose money, while others make money,” Lim said.

Put off by fake news

Malaysia Federation of Hawkers’ and Petty Traders’ Associations president Yow Boon Choon, meanwhile, said business was gradually recovering up to 50% to 60% after the reopening in July under the RMCO.

Things, however, took a turn for the worse following the recent spike in Covid-19 cases.

“Business was improving but after the recent spike in cases, the pasar malam are affected again. Everyone was relieved when the figures dropped to single digits, but suddenly there are so many new cases,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

As of yesterday, there were 489 new Covid-19 infections, bringing the total number of cases in Malaysia to 13,993, with 141 deaths.

He said many traders have switched to online shopping, which is also a new way of making money for the younger members of the association.

“In the association, many young members have turned to online markets,” Yow said.

Members will continue to follow the instructions of local authorities and continue to operate following the SOP for morning and night markets.

Because of the soaring number of confirmed cases, the association also announced the cancellation of a hawkers’ day activity scheduled in November and postponed its assembly.

The Selangor and KL Federation of Hawkers’ and Small Businesses’ Association president Tan Luan Huat said aside from the spread of Covid-19, another major impact on businesses are rumours.

“Fake news of cases in certain places have scared people away. The crowd of the morning and night markets has dropped sharply.”

Tan said business is currently dull, while vendors, uncertain about future restriction orders, are worried if businesses are going to be suspended again. – October 8, 2020.