Everything must go: Nor Ain helping her friend to sell locally made key chains, ring accessories, pens, and other hand-made items.
KOTA KINABALU: As groups of politicians and supporters approached her flower stall at the Gaya Street Sunday market here, Suzie Zening had high hopes of drumming up sales.
But the florist was left disappointed – the only exchange was that of courtesies and handshakes.
“I was hoping to sell, but none of those who visited actually bought anything,” said the 50-year-old.
Zening, a vendor at the market for over 20 years with her husband, Yong Tsun Haw, 59, said the delegations could have at least shown some support for locals who have been suffering economically due to the pandemic.
She said with the tourism industry still not fully open, their business, which had always depended a lot on visitors, was not doing well.
Coffee trader Shan Shan, 22, said it would be a great help if candidates and their entourages bought something.
“It’s always exciting for voters to see new faces but when you come for walkabouts, help us out by purchasing our products,” she said while packing coffee beans.
Form Five student Nor Ain Ayakira al Husin said she also hopes to see more people buying local handicrafts she is helping to sell.
“I work part-time here every weekend, and I help this aunty,” said the 17-year-old.
“Today, there’s a larger crowd, but not many are buying. It’s quite sad,” she added.
Election candidates for the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary seat started their rounds at Gaya Street.
They included Parti Bersatu Sabah’s Yee Tsai Yiew, Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Malaysia’s (KDM) Datuk Winston Liaw, DAP’s Chan Foong Hin, and Parti Warisan’s Amanda Yeo.
According to one of the candidates, they were told by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officials that they were not allowed to purchase anything if they were on campaign rounds and wearing party uniforms.
However, Sabah MACC director Datuk S. Karunanithy said it was not an offence under the MACC Act for any candidate to purchase anything during campaign activities, as long as the sales were genuine and without any intention of vote buying.
“You can buy whatever you want and pay for what you bought – that’s not an offence,” he said.
