KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 ― Infractions that Sungai Besar Umno division chief Datuk Jamal Md Yunos claims are rampant in Petaling Street exist all over Malaysia, traders there said after the #Merah169 leader vowed to send enforcers after them.

Business owners met there by Malay Mail Online said Jamal was free to lodge a complaint against them with the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, but invited him to also do the same in areas such as the Puchong night market and the Uptown Cheras bazaar.

Jamal, who heads the Coalition of Malay NGOs that took part in the red shirt rally on Wednesday, said he will demand the ministry take enforcement action in Petaling Street over what he alleged to be the open selling of pornographic DVDs and counterfeits.

“If they want to go and complain, complain-la. But they need to be fair, go to their places also-la, like Uptown and pasar malam (night market) first,” said a bag vendor Eddie Lau who has been operating at Petaling Street for over 15 years.

A third-generation soya bean drink seller, Ng Lee Yam, said it was preposterous that the “Red Shirt” rally singled out Petaling Street when the whole country has similar business areas that sell the same products.

Traders in Petaling Street shuttered their businesses on the day of the rally for fear of vandalism, and were advised to remain closed for another two days after the unrest on September 16 when protesters tried repeatedly to enter the area known as “Chinatown”.

“I think they are picking on Petaling because this place has been around for many years and is very popular. Not just among locals but has become a tourist site. Why they don’t do this rally/protest at other places, why just here? “ the 54-year-old questioned when speaking to Malay Mail Online today.

Jamal yesterday demanded that Malay traders be allowed to operate in Chinatown, claiming authorities were blocking members of his community from setting up stall there due allegedly to Chinese resistance.

A garment trader who only wanted to be known as Gemuk Jeans said almost all the shops came to a consensus to close for the day fearing damages to goods and safety concerns.

“Even though yesterday was a public holiday, we might lose out more if we open. If there is a fight or they break in. We are afraid our things get broken, stolen or we ourselves injured,” he told Malay Mail Online.

He added that Jamal should not be so quick to lodge a complaint on the traders at the shopping district, when most of the problems are caused by unruly customers.

The trader who has been manning his stall for over 20 years, also compared yesterday’s rally to the Bersih 4 event last month, which he said was peaceful and even helped boost businesses around the area.

“During Bersih it was different, we had shops open and our businesses was good because a lot of people came.

“We did not need to fear anything, because it was sincere. People were just on the streets to make a genuine complaint, unlike yesterday where those guys were just looking for trouble,” the 44-year-old man added.

Thousands of Malays clad in red shirts marched in the city centre here on Wednesday in the rally dubbed “Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu” (United People’s Rally), which was fed by an alternate march called “Himpunan Maruah Melayu” (Malay Dignity Rally) led by Jamal’s group.

Police fired water cannons at red-shirted protesters outside Petaling Street after they insisted on trying to enter the area barricaded by security personnel.

Jamal later blamed the incident on provocation by various parties not present during the rally, before saying that the trouble were started by people not affiliated with his group.

Police yesterday confirmed that they are investigating the rally organisers after 15 reports were lodged over the protest.