Council proposes rent for display of goods for sale along five-foot ways in Marudi
MARUDI: Shopkeepers who display their goods outside their premises along five-foot ways here would be required to pay rent, once the new policy gets approved in the next Marudi District Council ( MDC) meeting.
According to MDC enforcement officer Baleng Bit, the shopowners are allowed to sell items outside their premises under temporary permit, as long as the areas do not go beyond the yellow line along the five-footway.
The proposed monthly charge put forth by the council would be 50 sen for every square feet, and the maximum area that each trader is allowed for the display of goods would be 54 square feet (three feet by 18 feet).
This translates to a monthly charge of RM27, and a yearly total of RM324.
“The introduction of this policy is that all five- footways are categorised as public areas, used by pedestrians. The Bylaws 26-(1) under the Local Authorities Ordinance 1996 (Local Authorities – Cleanliness Bylaws 1999) states that no person shall place, put, display, store or hang on or above any footway, any goods, articles or things – whether for sale or otherwise. The penalty for breaking the bylaws is RM1,500 for first-time offence, while for the second or subsequent offence, the penalty is RM3,000 or nine-month imprisonment – or both.
“So it is important that traders who want to display their goods for sale outside their premises to keep within the allowed area. For now, they can do so under temporary permit,” he spoke during the council meeting with some of the shopkeepers at MDC conference room yesterday morning.
However, Baram Chinese Chamber of Commerce chairman Chua Seng Yong, who was also present at the meeting, requested for MDC to reduce the proposed monthly charge by about half – RM13 instead of RM27.
“The approval ( for the new policy) will be discussed in the next council meeting. The reason why we are proposing this is to ensure the cleanliness and orderliness of five- footways in Marudi town, because they are used daily by the townsfolk.
“It is also about the issue of safety and security,” said Baleng.
Moreover, he also highlighted the need to hold discussions with shopowners in Beluru, Lapok and Long Lama with regard to this new policy before MDC could proceed with its implementation.
Baleng chaired the meeting yesterday, where MDC chairman Edward Mendai and council secretary Petrick Linggi Taboh were also present.