Business goes on for grocery store even during the floods

Open as usual: Muhamad Syabudin (centre) has kept his shop in Kampung Lumpur open as he understands how hard it is for flood-hit residents to get daily necessities. — Bernama

PASIR MAS: It is business as usual for a grocery store owner in Kampung Lumpur here despite his shop being inundated by 0.3m-high floodwaters.

Muhamad Syabudin Mat Ghani, 45, decided to continue opening his shop not only for the profit but also because he understood the difficulties faced by residents in obtaining daily necessities during the floods.

“If I close my shop, it will be difficult for villagers to find what they need.

“We still have stock; it’s just a bit difficult to get new stock of goods because the floods have cut off access to this village,” he told Bernama yesterday.

According to Muhamad Syabudin, he managed to move the items in his shop to a higher place after the village was flooded at around 10.30am on Tuesday.

He was also grateful that his shop was not badly affected by the floods as it was located on higher ground.

But Muhamad Syabudin said his house, which is located behind the shop, was flooded up to a metre deep, forcing him to spend the night at his sister’s house not far from his grocery store.

Salmizan Yusof, 39, an employee of a grocery store in Kampung Pohon Tanjung here, said despite the increase in demand from local residents, essential items at the shop were still sold according to the prices set previously.

“We are open from 8am as usual and the prices of goods have remained the same. There has been no increase,” Salmizan said.