FEELING THE PINCH: 'Business has dropped by about 30 per cent. The Chinese don't come here any more. I was told other bigger restaurants are worse hit.' - MR MOHAMED HANIFA, 38, who works at a restaurant along the famous seaside Gurney Drive in Penang. Nasi kandar outlets have seen a noticeable drop in the number of customers since a widely circulating SMS called for a boycott of the popular dish. -- PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

This follows a widely circulating SMS asking Penangites to boycott nasi kandar, an Indian Muslim speciality popular among all races.

The snub is purportedly to punish Indian Muslims for taking part in a street protest on March 14 to demand that new Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng withdraw his plans to abolish an affirmative action programme which favours the Malays.

Most of the nearly 300 nasi kandar shops here are owned by Indian Muslims. One of Penang's best-known offerings, nasi kandar consists of steamed rice that is either plain or mildly flavoured, served with a variety of curries and side dishes like fried chicken, prawns, brinjal and bitter gourd.

One victim of the boycott is a restaurant along the famous seaside Gurney Drive. 'Look, normally during lunch-hour, it is packed. Now, there is not much of a crowd,' said staff member Mohamed Hanifa, 38, pointing to the many empty tables and chairs. None of the diners is Chinese.

'Business has dropped by about 30 per cent. The Chinese don't come here any more. I was told other bigger restaurants are worse hit,' he added.

The Chinese make up about 43 per cent of the state's population of 1.5 million and Mr Lim's decision to scrap the pro-Malay policy was well received by the community. The Malays comprise 41 per cent of the population.

The Democratic Action Party-led opposition swept to power in the March 8 general election, winning 29 of the 40 seats in the state legislature.

It was the first time the opposition wrested control of the state since 1969.

Mr Lim, who is also DAP's secretary-general, said the affirmative action programme 'breeds corruption, cronyism and systemic inefficiency'.

Several nasi kandar restaurant owners have said they did not join the illegal demonstration, although a sizeable number of Indian Muslims took part, as well as Malays.

Many in the Indian community see themselves as Malays, often conversing in Malay and practising Malay customs.

A spokesman for the anti-government Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has called for a stop to the boycott.

Taxi driver Chong K.C., 63, is one of those staying away from nasi kandar restaurants. Despite his love for nasi kandar, 'to me, it is just a show of solidarity', he said of his boycott.

'It's a matter of time before I start frequenting my favourite nasi kandar shop again,' he added.

He is upbeat about the new government. He is particularly glad that the DAP-led government will be implementing an open-tender policy to curb corruption.

He admitted that he had voted for the opposition in the recent general election for the first time.

'I have always been a pro-government person. But the BN government had become too arrogant. They make sexist jokes in Parliament. That's why we need to teach them a lesson.'

While it is still too early to tell whether the new government will deliver on its promises, Mr Chong is hopeful. For now, he already has something to thank the new state government for: a waiver of parking-related offences.

The state's new administration has cancelled all summonses for parking-related offences and those involving hawker licences.

Mr Chong had two tickets, each carrying a fine of RM30 (S$13).

Meanwhile, information technology consultant Sivakumar Murugasu, 43, has ditched a plan to buy an apartment at the last minute although he had been wanting to buy it for some time.

'I do not know how property prices will move. I'll wait and see. Already, Guan Eng has decided to review the Penang Global City Centre,' said the father of three.

The Penang Global City Centre is a high-density development project with 40 blocks of high-rise towers comprising shopping malls, offices and apartments. Many Penangites oppose the project as it could worsen traffic congestion and cause pollution.

Mr Sivakumar is also worried that the federal government might slash grants to the state now that it is under opposition rule. He said this could hamper growth in the state.

Penang is home to multinationals such as Dell, Intel and Motorola, but is fast losing its shine as an industrial heartland of Malaysia.

Restaurant cook Esah Shukor, 42, shares Mr Sivakumar's concerns but has no regrets about supporting the opposition. She said many Malays were also marginalised under BN rule.

'Only those with political links stood to gain while the vast majority of Malays did not benefit,' she said.

For retiree Khoo Soo San, 63, the change in government could well reunite her with her family. The widow has been living with her sister in Prai, on the mainland, for more than 10 years after her children left for New Zealand to work.

The mother of two said her sons, an accountant and an architect, had sent her e-mail asking about the state government's plans to woo back Penangites working overseas.

Madam Khoo said her children were drawn by the DAP's pledge to remove the affirmative action programme and introduce transparency.

'I told them it is great if they come back to be with me. But they want to find out more first. For now, things look promising,' she said.

kumhor@sph.com.sg