MP: LET CITY HALL HANDLE RAMADAN BAZAAR LICENCES
Bukit Bintang’s Fong says he does not want third parties inflating prices
ONLY City Hall should handle applications for Ramadan bazaar licences, said Bukit Bintang member of parliament Fong Kui Lun. Fong, who was embroiled in a scandal involving misappropriation of City Hall’s Ramadan bazaar last year when he unwittingly endorsed a politician’s bid to sublet the bazaar lots at cut-throat prices, said he would not allow the authority to backtrack on this.
“I will fight it if City Hall goes back on this. We do not want third parties inflating prices and killing off petty traders,” he told the New Straits Times.
He was responding to a traders association’s appeal on Tuesday to allow it to handle the bazaar following the implementation of City Hall’s online application system.
Fong said City Hall should have representatives from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and independent observers present at the balloting process to ensure that those who applied were eligible.
He called on the authorities to bar the issuance of support letters for these applications, with consideration to be given to cases involving disabled traders or those needing assistance.
He was once was tricked into endorsing a politician’s request to secure 80 bazaar lots that were rented out to traders at RM5,000 each.
City Hall announced the online system last week to prevent subletting, with applications to be done individually by the applicants.
The system offers more than 4,000 trading lots in 56 locations.
Federal Territories Bumiputera Hawkers and Petty Traders Association (Jalan Raja Bot) head Shahrin Darus said the association had only wanted to help City Hall by asking the bazaar allocation and management to be returned to it, adding the final decision should come from Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad and the authority.
Shahrin said many traders were unhappy with the online application system and could take to the streets to voice their dissatisfaction.
“We have 15,000 members and we will fight this if we have to.”
He said that while the online system could be implemented by traders to apply for baazar lots in the city centre, the system would not work in the suburbs.
“The association should be allowed to manage the applications for bazaars in the suburbs and see how we can improve on this. Maybe we can go fully online next year.”
He said City Hall should set up a baazar in Taman Bukit Jalil, which could accommodate up to 2,000 traders, as an alternative to Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Masjid India bazaars.
“I agree that there are some traders carrying out Ali Baba businesses by subletting their lots at a higher price, but we can prevent this through enforcement.”
We have 15,000 members and we will fight this if we have to. SHAHRIN DARUS
Head, Federal Territories Bumiputera Hawkers and Petty Traders Association (Jalan Raja Bot)