SEREMBAN, April 6 — A Chinese senior citizen was engrossed in a meal of curry mee (noodle dish) while waiting for customers at his retail shop in Rantau town near here, which he has been running for the past 35 years.
‘‘People don’t come to buy, the economy is slow,’’ said the 73-year-old man in a white singlet and shorts to this Bernama journalist who stopped by to buy drinks at the shop.
In his Chinese accent, the man who only wanted to be identified as Yee, said at times he had to shut his shop at 6pm or 7pm due to a lack of customers unlike in the past when his business was open until 11 pm.
His son who was standing nearby told Bernama: “I am forced to change the way I conduct our business. Instead of waiting for customers, I instead go to plantations and seek orders from the estate workers,’’ said the 37-year-old man.
Asked on what could be done to overcome the situation, he said Rantau needed to see more economic development to discourage people from seeking greener pastures elsewhere.
“Something must be done to also lure those who have left to return home,” said a bicycle shop owner nearby who only wanted to be identified as Ng. He opened the shop 30 years ago.
Meanwhile, Wong Tien Chun, 29, who owns a Chinese restaurant, said that, other than bringing more big projects and development in Rantau, a railway track should also be constructed to pass through Rantau to ease access.
The Rantau State Assembly constituency has 20,926 voters with Chinese making up 18.6 per cent, or 3,849 voters, Indians (5,336) and Malays (11,283).
The Rantau state by-election on April 13 sees a four-corner fight between the Pakatan Harapan candidate Dr S. Streram, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan of Barisan Nasional (BN) and two independent candidates, R. Malar and Mohd Nor Yassin. — Bernama
