Kuala Lumpur: It's Chinese New Year and Malaysia's capital is deserted once again as citizens enjoy one of the many holidays observed by a nation with an array of races and religions.

But the nonstop stream of festivals, which began last October when Muslims celebrated the end of the fasting month, is being met with grumbles from business and industry who say the nation cannot afford all the merry-making.

After Malaysia's majority Malays celebrated Eid ul-Fitr, it was the Hindus turn with the Diwali festival of lights, then Christmas, followed by traditional New Year and now Lunar New Year.

"I can t get anything done!" laments lawyer Karen Lynn Johnson, who is frantically preparing for her upcoming nuptials. "Every supplier I call comes back to me with the same reply: wait until after Chinese New Year."

Malaysia's ethnic Chinese community dominates business and the long holiday weekend saw a lull at construction sites, shopping malls and restaurants as city-dwellers flooded the highways to return to their home villages.

"For business people it is never in their interests as it affects sales and trading," said M Vivekananda from the Malaysian Employers Federation.

"Our stand has always been that public holidays should not inhibit business activities. The markets should be kept open."

Business people complain that sales figures drop and trading on the bourse is halted. "Not only is it expensive, it disrupts the production of goods and sometimes deadlines cannot be met because there is not enough manpower," Vivekananda said.

Source : PTI