SMEs hardest hit by disruption
KUALA LUMPUR: The water disruption that hit Klang Valley last week affected more than 200,000 small- and mediumsized businesses, with some incurring losses running into hundreds of thousands of ringgit.
Small and Medium-Scale Entrepreneurs Alliance of Malaysia president Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah said 60 per cent of those affected were owners of manufacturing plants and those in the food industry.
“These are businesses involved in processing and manufacturing, such as producing noodles, chilli sauce and meatbased products.
“The six-day water supply disruption, which exceeded the original schedule, led to some manufacturers closing down operations for two to three days.
“As such, manufacturers had to incur losses running into thousands of ringgit as they could not meet customers’ demand,” he told the New Straits Times.
Some business operators, he said, had to resort to buying bottled water.
“Operations were affected but workers still needed to be paid. Imagine the losses they incurred.”
He said laundromat and car wash operators had to stop operating as their businesses depended on water supply.
“The Selangor government should be more sensitive and have an action plan to help traders whose livelihood depends on their business.”
Traders in Bandar Sri Permaisuri, Cheras, said some of them had to close shop for a few days.
Roti canai seller Rozlan Mohd said he had no source of income for two days as there was no water supply.
“I make only about RM80 a day. So, when there’s no business, there’s no income for me.”
Food stall owner Wan Zurina Wan Sulaiman said she had to close her stall for two days.
“This is the second time I’ve had to go through this. The first time was two years ago,” she said.