SHAH ALAM, March 5 — A flooded stall is no hindrance for a burger seller in Pekan Endau, Mersing, Johor, to continue his business as usual.
Riduan Abdul Rahim, 40, said he had no choice but to continue his daily routine as he had dependents to support at home and was planning to get married at the end of this year.
“This is my primary source of income, and everything depends on the sale of burgers. I take care of my mother and niece and need to save up for my wedding as well. It will put me in a pickle if I don’t do business.
“Plus, I have bought the raw materials and their prices are also increasing. If I don’t use them, I fear they will perish because these items don’t have a long shelf life and will cause me losses,” he told Bernama when contacted.
Riduan said he also needs to raise enough money to pay the rent for the business lot at the rate of RM135 per year.
Riduan, who has been doing business there for almost 20 years, said he would usually start selling burgers at 3 pm every day until late at night, depending on customers.
“This area is often flooded. However, the flood two days ago was not too high and receded slightly yesterday morning.
“However, heavy rain yesterday afternoon caused the water to rise again, and maybe it was also due to the high tide. If the flood worsens, I will close shop,” he said.
Asked about the condition of his home, Riduan said it was not affected since it was on high ground, but his family remained vigilant against any possibility.
Still, he was grateful that his burgers were selling well last night following the closure of many eateries in the town.
“I really hope the situation will return to normal so we can continue our daily lives. It’s hard for people like me who rely solely on sales income to make ends meet,” said Riduan, who also does a part-time job as a deejay at wedding events.
— Bernama
