Sunday, 19 Jul 2020 06:55 AM MYTWith borders still closed to foreign visitors, businesses in Johor Baru are suffering as they can no longer rely on their Singaporean customers base. — Picture by Ben Tan
“We just opened on July 15 but due to the border not opening, we don’t expect a lot of people. For us, it is an opportunity to make a living,” said bundle clothes trader Ghazali Mat who has been operating in the area for the past two years. The seasoned mechanic, who specialises in repairs and restoration work, said business has been extremely slow.
He said the many car wash outlets along the Jalan Abdullah Tahir stretch in the city centre depended heavily on Singaporeans for business. “It was a relief after nearly three months of not operating and still paying rental. Things started slow at first, but soon it occurred to me that my business may never be the same as before.
He went on to explain that his Singaporean customers pay more than Malaysians as they regularly leave tips for the staff. “Despite not having a positive outlook for this year, I will still continue with my business as it is better than not having any income at all,” said Amy.