KL DAP treasurer Ben Fong said many petty traders and eateries claimed they suffered a 25% drop in business during the summit as a result of the road closures and traffic diversions restricting the number of commuters into the city centre.

He added that many office workers were allowed to work from home over the period, further reducing the number of customers to their businesses.

In a statement, Fong proposed that the RM5,000 assistance be offered to retail outlets with an annual revenue of RM500,000 or less.

He said larger businesses could generally absorb the impact.

“Coffee shops, convenience stores and small eateries that rely heavily on walk-in customers and tourists were among the hardest hit.

“While the amount may not fully offset their earnings shortfall, it would be a meaningful gesture of goodwill to small business owners who form the backbone of our city’s economy,” he said.

Fong pointed out that there were other road closures in the past year for other Asean summits, which also affected these petty traders and small businesses.

He added that a token RM5,000 compensation for these small businesses would not cost Putrajaya much compared with the economic spillover generated from the Asean Summit and related events.

“The Inland Revenue Board should have no difficulty identifying eligible recipients since it already maintains records of small businesses,” he said.