KUALA LUMPUR: With an influx of foreigners taking advantage of the weekend holiday, the atmosphere on Jalan Silang has morphed into a "Mini Dhaka" once more.
The situation is almost similar to last week's before it was raided by authorities, though the numbers are slightly smaller.
BH checks since 10am today found that many foreign nationals of various nationalities – Myanmar, Pakistan, Nepal, the Philippines and Indonesia – wandering around Jalan Silang and Lebuh Pudu.
Fitri Yaakob, a manager of a fast-food restaurant said that after the raid last Thursday, the number of foreign nationals showed a significant reduction in the area, but today the numbers were back in full force.
"There is a certain uneasiness when walking past the front area of the shops on Jalan Silang because they (foreigners) will occupy pedestrian spaces, gathering, chatting, and some even doing business on the sidewalks.
"I'm sure some of these thousands of foreign nationals have immigration violations because they start hiding on shop stairwells or racing through the crowd when they notice police or Kuala Lumpur City Hall enforcement officers.
"And as soon as the police or enforcement officers disperse, they will regroup to resume their activities such as chatting, gathering, and filling shops owned by foreigners from their respective countries," he said when met today.
Fitri said if police raids were previously carried out on weekdays, he suggested that checks and surprise operations be conducted on holidays and weekends.
Meanwhile, foreigners in this area were also found to be neglecting cleanliness and were caught violating the law by conducting businesses selling clothes, betel leaves, and fresh items such as fish and vegetables on the sidewalks.
However, they began closing their sales when they realised that a BH photographer was recording their activities.
Moreover, their gaze towards locals passing through the area seemed cautious and suspicious, fearing sudden detention by uniformed authorities.
Not far from Jalan Silang is the Rapid KL bus station, which was also filled with foreigners. It seemed only foreigners were filling every bus arriving and departing from the area.