Bad for business?

Once again, the centre of KL was closed off for a mass demonstration. And once again, shopkeepers suffered. Both of these is true.

But are demonstrations bad for business?

I was amused, after the Bersih demo, to read how one 7-11 that had stayed open was inundated with shoppers buying cold drinks - and this was presented as being bad for business! Nevertheless, chances are that demonstrators are not going to be buying clothes or souvenirs. Businesses dealing in items other than food, drink and maybe umbrellas suffered.

But why?

On the same day as the Bersih demonstration in KL, there was a rally of much the same size in central Melbourne. As with the Bersih rally, it was well-organised and policed by volunteers. But it was also policed by the police. Rather than time-consuming roadblocks, police diverted traffic away from the route of the march. They kept the protesters on their pre-determined route, and largely off the sidewalks. Shops and shoppers remained open and active - suffering the minor inconvenience of a leaflet thrust in their faces.

This begs the question - why are Malaysian demonstrations bad for business? It appears to me that tear gas and water cannons, demonstrations were police and demonstrators face off, rather than are facilitators, these demonstrations are, indeed, bad for business.

WHich means that the problem is not one of demonstrations being bad for business. Bad policing of demonstrations is bad for business. Instead of confronting demonstrators with riot police and roadblocks, use the police to keep order in a peaceful manner. LEt the demonstrators onto the streets, keep them off the sidewalks. Beforehand discuss the least disruptive route for the demonstration, taking into account the political needs of the demonstrators. And work with the organisers for a peaceful, prosperous march for all.