RESILIENCY OF URBAN INFORMAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN KUCHING CITY

The unprecedented outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic since the year 2020 has witnessed an economic downturn which has caused negative impacts towards the global economy. The impacts of this crisis have greatly affected the informal economy, in which this vulnerable sector is not safeguarded by any regulations or policies during this difficult time. Informal sectors are no exception to restrictions of business operations imposed by the Malaysian Government during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore the approaches and challenges faced by the operators of informal economic activities in Kuching city, Sarawak, towards sustaining their businesses. The findings have shown that the informal business operators in Kuching city have a moderate resilience index based on the data collected on both threats and resilience strategies. The study found that three major threats are highly associated with these informal businesses, namely disruption of access to goods and products, Covid-19 pandemic and disruption of internet and telecommunication services. Additionally, the business operators have adopted few strategies towards ensuring the resiliency of their businesses, namely the use of E-commerce and conducting their businesses in flexible and accessible locations. Immediate responses, strategies and policy interventions are necessary towards rectifying the current challenges faced by these operators as well as providing future opportunities for the informal sector.