Johor traders struggle to stay afloat as rain dampens business
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Traders reported up to 50 per cent drop in income, with those selling clothes and accessories the most affected.
PHOTO: ST FILE
JOHOR BAHRU – The rainy spell is proving to be a bane to traders and street vendors, with many reporting losses.
Johor Bahru Bazaar Karat Development and Welfare Association president Fuad Rahmat said the popular flea market here, which is also visited by foreign tourists, was badly affected by the weather.
“We have over 200 stalls with a variety of offerings such as food and drinks, clothes, accessories and other interesting items,” he said.
“However, the rain has had a bad impact, especially during the evenings when it starts to pour.”
Mr Fuad said storms with strong winds were causing the number of visitors to dwindle, adding that there was not enough shelter as business was conducted in the open.
“The number of visitors depends on the weather. It will usually decrease when it rains as people tend to avoid open areas,” he said.
“The decline of the crowd can be up to 50 per cent, depending on the rain’s intensity. If the rain persists, traders usually do not even open their stalls,” he lamented.
Mr Fuad said there were traders at the bazaar who reported up to 50 per cent drop in income, with those selling clothes and accessories the most affected.
He added the association was advising the traders to be alert and vigilant on directives issued by the authorities as the monsoon intensifies.
“This is because their goods can be damaged with more bad weather around the corner,” he said.
“We have advised them to shut their stalls if the situation turns bad, and move on to an online platform we have provided, or through their respective social media channels,” he added.
Johor Indian Petty Traders and Small Business Association chairman D. Ravindran said its members who operate at pasar malam, also known as night markets, in major locations within Johor Bahru were also affected due to the persistent rain.
“The rain usually starts late evening and lasts until late at night. This is affecting our traders who have suffered losses of between 40 per cent and 60 per cent,” he said, adding that he expects the bad weather to persist and force many stalls to close due to the lack of customers.
“What we can do now is to follow the weather reports closely and adhere to the instructions coming from authorities, which is for our own safety,” Mr Ravindran said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
