PETALING JAYA, Feb 10 — The sluggish economy is putting a damper on Chinese New Year festivities this year, especially for small businesses, so much so that many traders have opted to remain open during the festive break.
Susan Chaw, 30, a restaurant owner in SS17, Damansara, said slow business from last year had put a damper on the festive mood, so her restaurant would be open for business as usual despite it being Chinese New Year.
“Many businesses are going to shut for the celebrations, but things are not what they used to be. Many used to close shop for up to a week, but now many are cutting their celebrations short because of tough times.
“Quite a few friends who are business owners chose to have their reunion dinners at the end of last week to keep working this week. They simply cannot afford to have a holiday,” she said.
She added that being open during the New Year period would be good for business as most other restaurants in the area would be closed.
“There will not be dramatic amounts of sales and profits but it is better than nothing. Hopefully, things pick up later in the year so we can have a little more breathing space,” she said.
Anthony See, 53, said he would cut short his holidays this year as he felt his lower profit margins of late did not justify a long holiday.
“I’ll be close for the New Year like everyone else, but it is good business to stay open to the last hour.
“No trips anywhere this year for us. Maybe if things pick up later in the year, I might take my family on a holiday somewhere, but for now, it is just the reunion dinner and then back to work,” he said.
Hardware shop owner Soh Wei Ming, 46, said his family had moved the reunion dinner to the weekend so that he would be able to operate as usual for the New Year.
“We had our dinner and festivities last Friday. We opened as usual on Monday as we will not be heading anywhere for the holidays.
“If things pick up, then things could change. But for now, slow business does not justify a break and I’m not the only one who feels this way. Many business owners have cut their holidays short,” he said.
On the other hand, some businesses have chosen to stay open throughout the New Year, citing tradition and a need to keep operating to ensure their food stocks did not turn bad.
S.K. Tan, 43, an employee of Green View Restaurant along Jalan 19/3 near SS2, said the restaurant had been open every day since it started operations in 1995 and Chinese New Year was no exception.
“It helps that our workers are not just locals — we have Burmese, Nepalese and Indonesian staff here, too.
“But even if our staff were all locals, it does not matter as none of the waiters are allowed to take leave for three weeks during the New Year period,” she said.
Tan said this was the restaurant’s tradition and not a means to gain more profit, as there is not much difference in profits during this period compared with normal days.
She added that while business was not expected to be so heavy on New Year’s Eve, the first and second day, she still expected a turnover of over 100 tables a day.
Unique Seafood manager Catherine Ng, 38, said their establishment was only taking the first day off for the Lunar New Year.
Located along Jalan Kemajuan in Section 13, Ng said the 15-year-old restaurant could not take too long a break because they were a seafood restaurant.
“You can’t leave seafood stocks and supplies for too long as it will go bad and incur losses,” said Ng, adding that the peak season began two weeks before the New Year.
Chung Chee Wai, 44, a pet store owner in SS2, Petaling Jaya, said he was going to spend time with his family regardless of whether the economy was good or bad.
“Business could be better and I wish it was, but it will not stop me from spending time with my family.
“It does not matter if business has been slow, family must always come first, and seeing them is more important to me than seeing profits,” he said.
