JOHOR BARU: Businesses here are considering measures to prepare for the larger crowds expected to flock to the city once Johor starts observing the Saturday-Sunday weekend next year.

They are anticipating higher foot traffic as Singaporeans, who make up a significant portion of visitors here, also have Saturdays and Sundays as their days off.

Johor Baru Coffee, Restaurant and Bar Operators Association chairman Wee Liang Satt said some businesses may have extra workers on standby to cope with the possible surge in visitors.

“We can see this now on Saturdays – a holiday for both locals and Singaporeans. Based on this observation, we look forward to serving more people during weekends next year.

“As such, some businesses may consider employing extra workers in preparation, while others may wait until the change takes effect before deciding whether additional manpower is necessary,” he said.

Wee added that businesses find it difficult to hire new employees because many locals prefer to work in Singapore, where higher salaries are available due to the exchange rate.

“Getting workers is not easy, and this has been an ongoing issue. Many business owners now rely on family members to help because they struggle to hire enough staff to run operations.

“I encourage businesses, especially those in the food industry, to adopt modern technologies such as robots to support their existing workforce,” he said, adding that adapting to the modern world is essential for businesses.

Johor Baru Bazaar Karat Development and Welfare Association president Fuad Rahmat said they are also looking at several measures to prepare for the weekend shift.

“We plan to increase the number of security and cleaning staff and work with traders on ways to manage a larger crowd,” he said.

The Johor Baru Bazaar Karat, he said, will work with the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) on traffic control to prevent congestion in the area.

“We are also considering improving basic facilities, including parking areas,” Fuad said, adding that further announcements will be made soon on the group’s social media platforms.

Johor Indian Muslim Entrepreneurs Association (Perusim) secretary-general Hussein Ibrahim said its members prefer to adopt a “wait-and-see approach” for now.

“We will only know how things unfold once the new weekend system kicks off next year. We want to observe the crowds before making any moves, including increasing manpower.

“Instead of hiring more workers, some businesses may choose to adjust the rosters of their existing staff, and have more people work on Saturdays and Sundays,” he said.

Last Monday, Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said Johor will revert its rest days to Saturday and Sunday from Jan 1, 2025 – 10 years after the state started adopting the Friday-Saturday system – as a mark of respect for Friday’s significance to Muslims and as recognition of Islam as the state’s official religion.

Other states currently observing the Friday-Saturday weekend are Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/10/14/gearing-up-for-crowd-surge