Businesses enjoying brisk sales

PONTIAN: Business owners here and Tanjung Piai are enjoying brisk sales over the past few weeks as people from all over the country started flocking to these areas for the upcoming parliamentary by-election.

This was obvious on nomination day on Saturday as huge crowds packed restaurants and stalls near the nomination centre at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim.

Among the major draws was a cendol stall located right next to the centre.

Stall operator Abu Fahad Omar, 35, who is the third generation of his family to run the business here, said he sold some 500 bowls of his cool sweet treat by noon that day.

“The crowd grew larger at about 11am as the weather got hotter and I was trying my best to make sure that I had enough cendol for everyone.

“Business has been really good these past few days,” he said.

Restaurant owner Hafizah Abd Rahman, 64, who has been operating the outlet near Pontian Mini Stadium for the past six years, said she had never served so many customers before.

“I expected it to be a busy day but I just didn’t know it would be this busy.

“During last year’s general election, I also received a lot of customers but since polling was on a weekday, there were other restaurants around.

“Today, it seems like my shop is the only one open here,” she said.

Hafizah also observed that this time around, supporters of different parties were seen enjoying their meals side by side.

Meanwhile, owner of a homestay in Kukup, Ee Yeok Eng, 62, said his rooms were fully booked long before the Election Commission announced that nomination would be on Nov 2 and voting on Nov 16.

“All the rooms have been fully booked since the second week of October and my guests included supporters of political parties.

“Other businesses in Kukup including restaurants are also booming as those who have to be stationed in Tanjung Piai will drop by here for lunch or dinner,” he said.

The by-election was called after the incumbent Datuk Dr Md Farik Md Rafik of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia died of heart complications on Sept 21.

Source: TheStar