AS more youngsters lose their jobs in a coronavirus-ravaged economy, they are turning to the street-food scene, said those involved in the sector.

Penang Petty Traders’ Association president Ooi Thean Huat said a number of hawkers are in their early 30s and once held blue-collar jobs in factories, as well as white-collar workers who lost their office jobs.

“At least 45% of new hawkers are young people and many others have asked me for advice on how to become one,” he told The Malaysian Insight about the situation among hawkers in Penang.

“It is becoming more common to see young people pursuing office jobs to work in coffee shops, cooking and selling fried kuey teow, Hokkien mee, curry mee or kuey teow soup.

“I try to help these newcomers as much as I can, for example, pointing them to the best wholesalers for ingredients.”

Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Association Malaysia president Yow Boon Chuan said he has seen a 20% increase in the number of enquiries about becoming a hawker from all over the country, compared with the usual number of enquiries before the movement-control order (MCO) was imposed mid-March.

However, only 10% actually became hawkers after learning about the many rules and procedures involved.

“Once they know that there are many restrictions to operating as hawkers, they lose interest. Some feel they won’t be able to adapt to the lifestyle and work.

“There are also many SOPs because of the pandemic. And local city councils usually give priority to hawkers who have already been in the business. It is hard for new hawkers to get slots in the pasar malam, where there is a restriction on the number of stalls,” Yow said.

Toh Lai Huat of a Petaling Jaya association of hawkers and small businesses, said there are many young faces among the new vendors at wet markets, which were allowed to open after the MCO and conditional MCO.

“Many people are interested in working at the PJ market and have come to me to ask how to go about it. They have to apply for a permit from the Petaling Jaya City Council and also find out whether there is any vacancy among the stalls in the market,” said Toh, who is executive adviser of Persatuan Penjaja-penjaja dan Peniaga-peniaga Kecil Petaling Jaya.

However, there are some new hawkers who set up illegal stalls.

But out of compassion, Toh said he has decided not to interfere with these newcomers, even if their stalls are not in proper lots.

“As long as there is a space, I’m not going to bother. Whether they have applied for a licence, well, everyone is struggling to make a living. We understand their situation.”

The phenomenon of more people becoming hawkers after losing their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic’s effect on the economy does not seem so apparent outside the Klang Valley.

The Negri Sembilan association for hawkers and night market traders expected this trend but its president Lee Teong Chwee said it has yet to materialise. – July 29, 2020.