JOHOR BARU: Stall owners and workers at a restaurant in Bandar Baru Permas Jaya here have been left petrified after loan sharks splashed their work place with red paint.

       A 20-year-old cashier, who only wanted to be known as Ong, said he was shocked to see the restaurant, which is located along Jalan Permas 1, splattered with red paint on April 15.

       “I got a call from the restaurant owner at around 7am that day and was told about the incident.

       “The roller shutter door, floor, food stalls, and even the restaurant signboard were covered in red paint,” he said when met by reporters at the restaurant here yesterday.

       He said a check on the nearby premises’ close circuit camera (CCTV) revealed that a man was seen arriving in front of the restaurant in a white car at 3.49am on the day of the incident.

       “The man was wearing a cap and can be seen splashing the restaurant with the paint before running away.

       “Two of the food stalls were splattered with red paint,” he said, adding that the incident had made him afraid to go to work.

       Meanwhile, a kuey teow stall owner, who only wanted to be known as Nio, 44, said this was the first time such an incident occurred at the shop in the past 17 years that he had been operating his stall.

       “Owners have come and gone, and the new owner just came about a year ago during the movement control order (MCO).

       “The incident has gone viral in social media and some customers have stayed away due to fear,” he said.

       Nasi lemak stall owner, Teh, 36, said business had dropped since the incident occurred.

       “I have been running my stall here for the past four years and this is the first time I experienced something like this,” he said, adding that the majority of customers were nearby night market traders who had their dinner at the restaurant.

       Meanwhile, Pasir Gudang public complaints chief Syed Othman Syed Abdullah said none of the restaurant owners or stall operators were involved in loan shark cases.

       When contacted, Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat confirmed receiving a police report on the incident.