KUALA LUMPUR: While some restaurants along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman raked in a good income during the Bersih 4 rally over the weekend, many traders in the area reported losses.
Some of the traders along the road lamented that they had to close their business as early as 4pm instead of the usual 10pm on one day or both days of the rally.
“What to do, it’s our unlucky day! Business is bad! No customers!” said a shopkeeper, expressing disappointment.
A textile shop owner, who wanted to be known only as Abul Rahman, told Bernama that the number of customers dropped during the rally which drew thousands of protesters, many of them clad in yellow T-shirts.
“Did you not see the traders along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman close shop early? Many customers were afraid to come here. There were many people here but they had not come to shop,” he said.
Illegal traders mushroomed in the area on the two days, selling food and drinks to the rally participants.
They did not have to pay any rental and even blocked the entrance to some of the shops.
Another textile shop owner, who identified herself as Julia, said: “It is so unfair. We are paying thousands of ringgit per day to rent this area, even having to pay for the licence to do business but they simply come and start to cook and earn a lot of money.”
It was observed that the illegal traders were unhygienic in their preparation of food.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Mhd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz said Kuala Lumpur City Hall would act against the illegal traders.
The Bersih 4 rally, which the police declared illegal, was organised by the electoral reform group Bersih 2.0 which said it was fighting for clean and fair elections, and a clean government, among other things. — Bernama