Jalan TAR operates at slow pace

Covid-19 fears and the conditional MCO are keeping Ramadan shoppers away from Jalan TAR this year. — Photos: AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star

RAMADAN shoppers’ destination of choice in Kuala Lumpur is indisputably Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Jalan TAR) and other streets in its vicinity.

Every year, people would flock to stores there to shop for traditional wear and accessories as well as foodstuff in preparation for breaking fast and Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Scores of stores that line streets in the area offer the latest fashion every year to attract customers.

Business there, however, has taken a blow ever since the movement control order (MCO) was imposed in March.

Even after the conditional MCO came into effect last week, there was still a significant drop in foot traffic in the area as people shied away from public places.

Clothing store assistant Siti Aminah Abd Karim, 24, said many premises in the Jalan TAR area were now closed in the evening, due to lack of customers.

“Our shop normally opens at 10am but closing time varies each day, depending on how many customers we receive,” she said.

Although the conditional MCO started on May 4, Aminah said the shop opened only three days later because the premises had to be cleaned and disinfected first.

“We record the details of each customer, such as their name, and MyKad and telephone numbers. We also check their temperature before allowing them to enter.

“Customers are also prohibited from trying out the clothes,” she said, adding that they had no problem complying with the measures.

Another store assistant Zainun Yatimi, 55, said there was also no sign of tourists, who would come from neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia in previous years.

“There is a noticeable decline in customers this year. In the past years, shops would be very crowded during this time of the year,” she said, hoping that sales would pick up when Hari Raya draws closer.

Aiman Raziq Osman, 17, who works at a shoe store, said the premises could easily get around 150 customers a day before the outbreak.

“But after the MCO, the number of customers coming in is so low,” he said, estimating only about 10 to 20 customers a day.

He added that the store planned to extend its business hours in the weekend in hopes of making more sales.

A recent check by StarMetro revealed that most stores received only a handful of shoppers at noon, based on the list of customers who registered at the entrance.

Although many premises were open for business, some remained closed while the pedestrian walkways were noticeably less crowded than before.

Shops in the area were clearly observing government’s guidelines by recording details of their customers, while coloured markers were placed on floors near entrances to ensure social distancing among customers.

Some premises had even limited the number of shoppers that could enter at a time. Hand sanitisers were also placed at the entrances for customers to use.

Another clothing store assistant Shawal Sukani, 25, who has been working in the area for two years, said the shop received less than 10 customers a day since it reopened.

“Like most shops in the area, we close our shop earlier due to few customers,” he said.

To make up for the decline in sales from walk-in customers, Fakrya Sahmawi, 36, an administration executive of a clothing store, said they have begun marketing their products on social media.

“There has been a huge number of orders for baju melayu since Ramadan started,” she said, adding that the store saw a 90% increase in online sales during the MCO.

Meanwhile, inside the Sogo Shopping Mall, foot traffic was modest while employees manned the escalators and enforced social distancing among shoppers.

Some parts of the mall were marked with coloured arrows on the floor to help regulate foot traffic.

While a lack of crowd is a problem for businesses, shoppers are not complaining.

Some of them were enjoying their shopping experience due to the small crowd, saying it gave them peace of mind and more time to decide on what to buy.

Izani Abd Rahim, 50, from Ampang, who had arrived around noon to buy headscarves and robes for his family, said he was able to finish his shopping earlier than usual.

“It is important to know what you want to buy and where to buy it, so you do not waste time going from shop to shop,” he said, adding that he had no problem complying with the safety measures in place.

Although Hari Raya Aidilfitri will be subdued this year due to the conditional MCO, Izani said he and his family would still wear the outfits he bought in keeping with the festive spirit.

Sixty-two-year-old Megawati Hassan, who was seen wearing face shield and mask, said observing personal safety when out shopping was a must.

“I am concerned about the Covid-19 and want to ensure I have more protection.

“I feel more relaxed shopping this year as there are less people and less traffic on the road,” she added.

However, Cheras resident Muhd Mahir Jamal, 20, who was shopping with his wife, said it had taken them a longer time to find what they were looking for.

“We came here today to buy shoes and traditional wear, but many shops are closed.

“We had to spend a longer time to decide among the fewer options that we had,” he said, adding that the couple were used to shop along Jalan TAR as things were cheaper.