JOHOR BARU: Local businesses want political parties contesting in the state election to focus on bread-and-butter issues affecting traders, including manpower shortages and unfair competition.
Johor Indian Muslim Entrepre-neurs Association secretary Hussien Ibrahim said the pressing problem faced by local businesses is the lack of manpower, especially in restaurants.
He said many restaurant owners were operating with only about 45% of the manpower they needed.
“The current system only allows business owners to replace manpower based on the previous quota approved for them.
“They cannot take in anything more than the quota, and this makes it particularly difficult for those wanting to expand or open a new restaurant.
“We hope that the government would seriously look into this issue.”
Johor Baru Business and Hawker Association president Roland Lim said that many business owners are struggling to replace foreign workers wanting to return home because of delays and access problems in the quota application system.
“We are trying to get locals to take up these jobs so that we do not have to be dependent on foreign workers.
“Unfortunately, we are unable to find workers from here as many locals keen on working in the food and beverage sector would rather do so in Singapore, where they can be paid at least three times more,” he said.
Johor Indian Petty Traders and Small Business Association chairman D. Ravindran hopes the state election will bring to light the problem involving “Ali Baba” practices, where seemingly legal local-owned businesses are rented out and run by foreigners.
Despite multiple raids by enforcement agencies, such practices remain prevalent in some parts of the state, especially in urban areas, he said.
“They are freely operating businesses in broad daylight. Even if one is caught, it will later be replaced by another business through the same ‘Ali Baba’ practice.
“As a result, many small local Indian businesses have to compete with foreigners, including those from India, for a share of the same market,” he said, adding that businesses affected include those involved in tailoring and flower sales.
Another issue he hopes to highlight is the disadvantage faced by small, individual or family-based businesses when competing with larger franchised businesses.
“The business most affected by this is barbering. In the past, we had many small barber shops owned by local families, allowing for healthier competition among those in the industry.
“These days, many such shops are owned by one or two big companies that open branch after branch everywhere, making it difficult for small businesses to compete.”
