BUSINESS at the night market outside the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) has taken a hit after many Chinese workers who had returned to their homeland for Chinese New Year were unable to come back to Malaysia due to visa issues. 

A recent visit by The Malaysian Insight found a rather dull night market of just 30 stalls. A visit in July last year found about 50 lively stalls selling food and imported goods from China.

Most of the vendors at the night market are locals, but Chinese workers from the factories within MCKIP were their prime customers.

A night market vendor identified only as Chu said many of these workers were working at a steel mill in MCKIP.

Some of them had returned to China in batches in January and February for Chinese New Year, but were unable to come back due to visa issues. 

The reason for the visa woes is unknown.

MCKIP is the home to the Alliance Steel (M) Sdn Bhd, which came into the limelight for ringing its premises with a formidable-looking wall, dubbed by locals as the Great Wall of China.

The steel mill is a subsidiary of Guangxi Beibu Gulf Iron and Steel Co Ltd from China. The company has invested RM4.2 billion to build a modern integrated plant on a 287.32ha site in the park.

“Business has dropped by 40% in the last two months. This is my main source of income and now life is difficult,” said Chu, who sells imported items from China.

Wan Rong Cheng, who works at the steel plant, said many of these workers could not obtain visas to return.

He said the Malaysian government has not been very welcoming to Chinese workers.

He said he is willing to return to work in Malaysia if his services are required. Wan is currently in China.

“I have not faced such problems myself, but many other workers do have visa problems.”

Feng Zhen Bang, 34, who sells Chinese dry food items, snacks and liquor in the night market, said business has deteriorated. 

“Look, many vendors are no longer here, only the old players are still hanging on. Many have given up because business has been bad.”

Asked why is he still holding on to the night market spot, he said he has been there for a long time. 

Established in 2013, MCKIP is an important business link between Malaysia and China. 

It houses companies involved in renewable energy, energy efficiency technology development, equipment and advanced materials manufacturing.

It is also the first national industrial park in Malaysia jointly developed by the Malaysian and Chinese governments.

The park is divided into three phases.

Currently, only the first phase has been completed, while construction for the second and third phases, measuring 404.68ha and 323.74ha respectively, has yet to begin. 

MCKIP and its sister industrial park, the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park (CMQIP), are initiatives of the Bilateral Investment Corporation.

A flagship development of the East Coast Economic Region’s Special Economic Zone, the MCKIP has enjoyed huge flows investment, and is expected to create more than 12,000 new jobs by 2020. – March 4, 2019.