Traders delighted that they can operate bazaars

KUALA LUMPUR: Following a bleak Ramadan in 2020, bazaar traders are ecstatic over the government’s decision to allow them back on the streets.

Taman Tun Dr Ismail Pasar Malam Association chairman Abdul Hadi Mustafa said the traders’ group, which managed the neighbourhood bazaar, was happy with the news.

“We had an inkling that this was coming, but we waited for the official announcement because everything has been so disappointing and uncertain.”

Hadi, however, said the standard operating procedures (SOP) that required traders to be spaced out 1m apart would be tough to follow.

“To be fair, there were 180 food traders approved in 2020 for the Taman Tun Dr Ismail Ramadan bazaar.

“We hope we can keep the numbers, but Kuala Lumpur City Hall has to open an additional road for us to trade on Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 1.

“If the traders don’t get their lots, this will affect their income and they will come into conflict with us,” he said.

He said most bazaar traders had already made advance bookings for lots as they were allowed to forward last year’s bazaar lot payments to this year after the National Security Council barred bazaar activities last year.

Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Association president Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman said they would push for dried goods traders to be allowed to sell their wares alongside food traders.

Rosli hoped that these stalls would be given the go-ahead because it had been “a long and painful 2020”.

He said most traders were from the B40 group and had taken out loans to do business.

“Some who were trading clothes and non-perishables still have stock from last year.”

Clothes trader Azkhalim Suradi was also happy and was awaiting the outcome of a meeting on the shifting of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri bazaar in Kuala Lumpur to Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

“We hope that traders selling clothing will be given the green light and we also hope to return to Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman.”

He was responding to reports on the likelihood that the bazaars were only for fresh and open food traders while traders of other goods would be banned.