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JOHOR BAHRU: Once full of visitors and tourists, Johor Bahru is calmer these days as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At least one hotel has closed permanently, while the shopping centers seem deserted and some stores remain closed.
Business activities in Malaysia have been hit hard across the board since the government instituted the Movement Control Order (MCO) effective March 18 to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
While most businesses were given the green light to resume operations in early May, people who depend on tourists and visitors are struggling to survive, as travel restrictions around the world have reduced arrivals. of international tourists to almost zero.
With COVID-19 travel restrictions in place, Johor Bahru is calmer these days. (Photo: Fadza Ishak)
READ: COVID-19 – Some Johor Bahru Restaurants Feel Pressure As Fewer Singaporeans Travel Through The Causeway
In the case of Johor Bahru, the state capital is a popular destination for visitors to neighboring Singapore to shop, dine and relax. But with border restrictions preventing Singaporeans from entering Malaysia, many businesses have slowed down dramatically and some were forced to terminate the operation to avoid further losses.
Here are some of the retail and hospitality businesses that have been affected:
PUTERI PACIFIC HOTEL CALL A DAY
Although domestic tourism has been encouraged since the inter-state travel ban was lifted on June 10, hotels that tend to cater to foreign visitors have struggled to survive.
Puteri Pacific Hotel, located about 10 minutes from the Causeway, was popular with visitors to Singapore for its proximity to shopping districts and shopping centers such as City Square and Komtar JBCC.
It was closed on August 30 after 29 years, according to media reports.
The entrance to the lobby of the Hotel Puteri Pacific. (Photo: Fadza Ishak)
When CNA visited the hotel last Thursday (September 3), the building was deserted, with the lobby entrance sealed with a “No Entry” sign. The parking area was also barricaded so that no cars could enter the basement.
An old sign informing guests that the hotel was closed as of March 20, shortly after the MCO went into action, was still displayed on the glass doors of its entrance.
READ: COVID-19 – PM Muhyiddin hopes Malaysia and Singapore can finalize procedures for daily commuting
SLOW BUSINESS IN CITY SQUARE MALL, KOMTAR JBCC
Johor Bahru shopping malls, especially Komtar JBCC and City Square Mall, were popular with tourists. They are located right across from the customs, immigration and quarantine complex and have many outlets.
However, the two shopping malls are now suffering the impact of the border closure due to COVID-19, according to Low Kueck Shin, chairman of the China Johor Bahru Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A quiet scene at City Square Mall in Johor Bahru. (Photo: Fadza Ishak)
Although the shopping centers are still open to the public, many outlets, from well-known retailers to small businesses, were not operational during CNA’s visit.
The entrances to the McDonald’s fast food outlet in City Square Mall were sealed with plywood. The deserted scene was a far cry from those days when the store was packed to capacity with customers, especially on the weekends.
Paik’s Pan Korean restaurant at City Square Mall in Johor Bahru is not in operation. (Photo: Fadza Ishak)
Other restaurants in City Square were also affected. The shutter of Paik’s Pan, a Korean restaurant, was closed, although the chairs and tables were still in place.
A sign reading “Singapore Dollar Available” was still on display at his ATM.
A sign stating that Paik’s Pan, a Korean restaurant at City Square Mall in Johor Bahru, was frequented by Singaporeans. (Photo: Fadza Ishak)
Ms Tan Lin Min, manager of the company that operates Paik’s Pan and Bornga Korean Bbq Restaurant in City Square, said management decided to close one of them.
Management has not indicated whether Paik’s Pan will reopen, he added.
An employee at a telecommunications service center in City Square, who wanted to be known only as Samsul, said his store used to serve up to 10 customers a day before COVID-19, but now he only has one customer a week.
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“We have reduced our working hours and closed earlier because there are not many customers anymore. Our salaries have been reduced by 30 percent so that no one is fired, ”she told CNA.
A Japanese restaurant in Komtar JBCC is closed to the public. A notice is displayed in the store announcing its temporary closure. (Photo: Fadza Ishak)
At Komtar JBCC next door, some stores, including restaurants, a jewelry store, and other small skincare providers, were closed. A member of the mall staff, who declined to be named, said the number of shoppers has dropped since the pandemic occurred.
POINT B REST STOP A SILENT SCENE
At B Point, a popular rest stop for Singaporeans as soon as they enter Johor Bahru via the Causeway to eat, exchange their cash for Malaysian ringgit, and wash their vehicles, it was quiet and deserted.
Typically, the area was crowded throughout the day before COVID-19 hit.
Workers at B Point in Johor Bahru told CNA that stores are mostly closed after sunset these days due to a lack of customers. (Photo: Fadza Ishak)
People who work there said outlets that used to operate 24 hours are now mostly closed after sunset.
An employee of a car wash center, who preferred not to be identified, said they had to close at 8 p.m. to cut operating costs.
“There are no more cars coming here at night for a wash since the MCO was announced,” he said.
Restaurant B Point, a popular pit stop for Singaporeans, was empty around 8:30 pm on September 3, 2020. (Photo: Fadza Ishak)
Low, president of the chamber of commerce, said he hopes the Malaysian and Singaporean governments can work out an agreement for Singaporeans to visit Johor Bahru. This will help companies stay afloat, he said.
He added: “Perhaps they can implement a gradual opening of the border, with a small number of people allowed, and with contact tracing and standard operating procedures to closely monitor visitors.”
“We really hope that both governments can work things out so that we can jumpstart our economy.”
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