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Free Malaysia Today
03-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Vendors hoping to score again after Man Utd windfall
A stall selling Manchester United memorabilia outside the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on the evening of the United-Asean All-Stars match. KUALA LUMPUR : On a normal day, Nur Maisarah Othman considers it a good haul if she earns RM500 selling turmeric fried chicken with rice from her humble food truck. But she is giddy with excitement whenever a major foreign artiste or international football team is in town, as that means the possibility of raking in RM10,000 in a single evening. Nur Maisarah Othman. 'One day operating outside this stadium is almost the same as operating elsewhere for a whole month,' said Maisarah, who was busy attending to customers when met outside the Bukit Jalil National Stadium here on June 28. Some 72,550 fans converged on the national stadium that day to watch English football giants Manchester United take on the Asean All-Stars, which ended in a 1-0 defeat for the Premier League club. While United fans may have been let down by their team's display, many petty traders outside the stadium were grateful for the windfall brought by the tens of thousands who came to watch. Amirul Haziq Darus, who operates a small business selling United memorabilia, told FMT his tiny stall was overrun by fans of the 19-time English champions. Amirul Haziq Darus. 'At regular events, we can make RM40,000 in a week, but when there's an event like this with a capacity of over 70,000 fans, we can earn that amount in just a day,' he said, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. For a group of supporters who flew all the way from Indonesia to watch their beloved club in action, the stalls set up around the stadium provided a feast of Malaysia's diverse gastronomical fare. 'Nasi lemak, nasi kandar, teh tarik… we plan to try it all,' said one of them. Keropok lekor seller Lynn Mohamad said this was why she would grab the opportunity of opening a stall at such major events whenever organisers offer spots. Maya Mohammad Mazlan. 'These are economic opportunities. The government should hold more such mega events to help us,' she said. Maya Mazlan, who only recently started selling her self-brewed coffee, did not expect her brand, Janecof, to grow in popularity so quickly after becoming a vendor at several events. 'On a normal day, it would be a tall order to earn RM3,000. But by early this afternoon, we had already earned more than RM1,000,' she said when met before the game. Abu Sofian Yaacob. Economist Abu Sofian Yaacob of Universiti Malaysia Kelantan said the government should continue to support event organisers by offering incentives, easing the process of acquiring permits, and upgrading venues to attract even more mega events. He said a strategic partnership with event organisers would allow the ecosystem to grow, leading to an economic spillover for petty traders and food vendors.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Huntley ‘Trump Truth' store hosts dueling rallies as owner vows to stay open
Outside of her Huntley brick-and-mortar 'Trump & Truth' memorabilia shop, owner Lisa Fleischmann met with about 100 supporters who gathered on Saturday to support for Fleischmann and her business's right to exist following recent clashes with village officials. Many of the supporters, who included a 12-year-old girl dressed as the president, donned pro-Trump t-shirts and other attire, waving American flags to catch the attention of passersby, some of whom slammed on their horns in solidarity. Tables set up just outside of the strip mall store were stocked with beverages, pizza and snacks to keep the crowd energized for the afternoon. Just a half-mile south of the store on Illinois Route 47, about 200 people gathered to protest the store along the roadside with its fair share of supportive honks from drivers passing the sea of protest signs amid cheers and noisemakers. The support rally came in response to news about the tussle between Fleischmann and the village over accusations that the pro-Trump store violated village sign ordinance and building codes with its inflatable dolls of President Trump and a banner hanging outside of the store. Fleischmann and her supporters believe the scrutiny is due to her support for Trump. Her landlord has also threatened eviction after facing several citations themselves in January, but attorney David Shestokas, of Orland Park, said the eviction threat is due to pressure from the village, adding her defense includes 'possible violations of First Amendment rights.' Trump-themed shop could be closed over code issues, but owner says it's political 'Some of the citations they've given, there are other businesses in the area that have had the same stuff like things in front of the businesses or on the sidewalk and they've not been bothered even slightly,' Shestokas said. We're putting together our defense with evidence on what appears to be unequal treatment.' Shestokas said he is 'extraordinarily optimistic that we'll reach a resolution that's favorable for Lisa.' Fleischmann appeared to be in high spirits Saturday, talking to customers nonstop as they perused and purchased the Trump merchandise that covered nearly every inch of the store near the intersection of Main Street and Illinois Route 47. She said that while weekends were usually busy for her, the energy on Saturday was different. 'Everybody is so great, and people coming from all over to support me means so much,' Fleischmann said. 'It's been so fun.' Mercedes Beard said it's 'very unfair and wrong' for Fleischmann to have to deal with the village 'trying to intimidate her.' At the counter-protest, organizer Vivian Lenski, of Huntley, said her event was in part to organize against Trump and his agenda but also to show that business owners 'can't do whatever they want.' 'It's not against (Fleischmann) or her store specifically, anybody can open a store, though it's kind of an eyesore, but if she's not following the rules, it's not right,' Lenski said. 'She's got to follow the law just like everyone else.' The groups, for the most part, did not appear to interact with one another aside from a brief exchange between a lone anti-Trump protester who stood across the road from Fleischmann's store and one of her supporters who crossed the road the meet him. Tina Zucker, of St. Charles, and her daughter Lee Zucker, of DeKalb, protest and said it was important to them to be at the counterprotest, though neither of them lives in Huntley. 'We've been to similar protests in the past and the goal is always to show up and get seen by people, especially the ones who can make change happen like our senators,' Lee Zucker said. She also brought along her 6-year-old daughter, who alternated between cheering with her mom and grandma and playing in the grass. 'She doesn't understand a lot of what's going on, but she knows that we should be treating people well and be kind, and I think that's enough,' Lee Zucker said. Back at Fleischmann's store, supporters echoed their belief that pressure against the business was political. David and Mercedes Beard drove about 40 minutes from Sycamore to show their support for the store. Their first visit was about a week ago, and they knew they had to return for the rally. 'People are trying to shut her down however they can,' David Beard said. 'It's a political move. For me, I don't care whether you're a Democrat or Republican, you still have the right to be here and run your business.'
Malay Mail
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Better late than never: Man enters Expo 2025 in Osaka with ticket from 1940
TOKYO, May 8 — A man was admitted to the World Expo in Japan with a ticket to a 1940 event that was called off as war escalated, organisers said. Tickets for the 'Grand International Exposition of Japan' in Tokyo were released in 1938, but the event was postponed indefinitely as Japan became embroiled in World War II. Organisers of Expo 2025 in the western city of Osaka, which opened last month and runs until mid-October, said in a statement they had decided to admit holders of tickets to the 1940 event. They exchanged one of the old tickets on Monday for two one-day Expo 2025 passes, the statement said. Local media reported that the 1940 ticket-holder was 25-year-old Fumiya Takenawa, who lives in Tokyo but was visiting his parents' home in Osaka. Takenawa is a collector of Expo-related memorabilia and in March he purchased the 1940 ticket online, the Mainichi Shimbun daily and other outlets reported. They published a photograph of him smiling and holding up the old ticket, which features an elaborate red and black design. The Expo, or World's Fair, which brought the Eiffel Tower to Paris, began with London's 1851 Crystal Palace exhibition and is now held every five years in different locations. Previous Expos in Japan – in Osaka in 1970 and in the Aichi region in 2005 – have had similar policies of giving 'invitation tickets' to people holding passes for the 1940 event, the Expo 2025 organisers said Monday. Takenawa was reportedly a fan of the huge white and red 'Tower of the Sun', the symbol of the 1970 Osaka Expo that still stands in a park in the metropolis. — AFP
Free Malaysia Today
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Man admitted to Japan's Expo 2025 with 85-year-old ticket
Expo 2025 in the western city of Osaka opened last month and runs until mid-October. (AP pic) TOKYO : A man was admitted to the World Expo in Japan with a ticket to a 1940 event that was called off as war escalated, organisers said. Tickets for the 'Grand International Exposition of Japan' in Tokyo were released in 1938 but the event was postponed indefinitely as Japan became embroiled in World War II. Organisers of Expo 2025 in the western city of Osaka, which opened last month and runs until mid-October, said in a statement they had decided to admit holders of tickets to the 1940 event. They exchanged one of the old tickets on Monday for two one-day Expo 2025 passes, the statement said. Local media reported that the 1940 ticket-holder was 25-year-old Fumiya Takenawa, who lives in Tokyo but was visiting his parents' home in Osaka. Takenawa is a collector of expo-related memorabilia and in March he purchased the 1940 ticket online, the Mainichi Shimbun daily and other outlets reported. They published a photograph of him smiling and holding up the old ticket, which features an elaborate red and black design. The Expo or World's Fair, which brought the Eiffel Tower to Paris, began with London's 1851 Crystal Palace exhibition and is now held every five years in different locations. Previous Expos in Japan – in Osaka in 1970 and in Aichi region in 2005 – have had similar policies of giving 'invitation tickets' to people holding passes for the 1940 event, the Expo 2025 organisers said Monday. Takenawa was reportedly a fan of the huge white and red 'Tower of the Sun', the symbol of the 1970 Osaka Expo that still stands in a park in the metropolis.
The Guardian
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Man admitted to Japan's 2025 World Expo with 85-year-old ticket
A man was admitted to the World Expo in Japan using a ticket to the 1940 Grand International Exposition of Japan, an event that was called off as war escalated, organisers said. Tickets for the Grand International Exposition of Japan in Tokyo were released in 1938 but the event was postponed indefinitely as Japan became embroiled in the second world war. Organisers of Expo 2025 in the western city of Osaka, which opened in April and runs until mid-October, said in a statement they had decided to admit holders of tickets to the 1940 event. Expensive toilets cause a stink at Japan's world expo They exchanged one of the old tickets on Monday for two Expo 2025 passes, the statement said. Local media reported that the 1940 ticket-holder was 25-year-old Fumiya Takenawa, who lives in Tokyo but was visiting his parents' home in Osaka. Takenawa is a collector of expo-related memorabilia and in March he bought the 1940 ticket online, the Mainichi Shimbun daily and other outlets reported. They published a photograph of him smiling and holding up the old ticket, which features an elaborate red and black design. The Expo or World's Fair, which brought the Eiffel Tower to Paris, began with London's 1851 Crystal Palace exhibition and is now held every five years in different locations. Previous Expos in Japan – in Osaka in 1970 and in Aichi region in 2005 – have had similar policies of giving 'invitation tickets' to people holding passes for the 1940 event, the Expo 2025 organisers said Monday. Takenawa was reportedly a fan of the huge white and red Tower of the Sun, the symbol of the 1970 Osaka Expo that still stands in a park in the metropolis.
