Traders and hawkers have called on the relevant law enforcement bodies in the country to study the root cause of the problem that has resulted in the misuse of business licences and to take proactive action against those involved especially in leasing the licences to foreigners.
The call came following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement yesterday, that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will revoke the licences which have been given out to other parties, including foreigners.
Most hawkers and traders support the government’s commitment to solve the problem, but they want the relevant enforcement bodies, especially the local authorities (PBT) in the respective states and to invesigate if there are elements of corruption and misconduct in the process of granting business licenses as well as renting out hawker sites to foreigners.
Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Association president Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman said the local authorities need to ensure transparency in granting licences and look into the root causes of the problem.
Rosli said he was informed that there are traders who have up to seven night market business licences and he had received reports of a few local hawkers giving their licences to foreigners.
“These traders who hold several licenses only operate in some places while the remaining licences are sold to foreign traders,” he said adding that proactive measures must be taken to address the matter to safeguard the welfare of the people, especially local traders.
In Kelantan, Kedai Melor Traders Community chairman Nik Pa Nik Hassan urged that the local authorities re-examine the business premises ownership in the state with the growing number of foreign ownership over the past few years.
He added that these foreign business premises were also using the licences of locals to operate after the building premises were sold to foreigners.
“For example, there are over 10 foreign-owned business premises from Pasir Tumboh, Kota Bharu up to Selising, Pasir Puteh. Most of the foreigners are married to single mothers who are in their late 50s just to use their wife’s name to register their business, ” he said.
He said although this is legal according to the law, it has an impact on local traders and the local authorities must ensure more stringent rules are laid for ownership of business licenses by foreigners so that they are not monopolised by a certain group as this would affect local traders.
In Pahang, Federation of Malay Hawkers and Petty Traders Bentong Branch chairman Abdullah Ab Hadi said the government’s move to revoke business licences that have been misused, is a proactive action but the ‘whitening’ process needs to be carried out consistently
Meanwhile, provision shop operator in Kampung Alor Semadom, Alor Setar, Kedah, Mazlan Bakar, 61, said more firm action must be taken in revoking the licences to ensure that no one is able to take the opportunity to make a profit.
“This matter must not be taken lightly because some of them (foreign hawkers) set the price of the goods as they please. They get big-headed and start antagonising the local traders in the surrounding areas,” he said.
A hawker selling belacan and cencaluk in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Amir Izzudin, 30, hopes that the revoking of licences issued to foreigners would be actively implemented as the matter has been dragging on too long.
Meanwhile, state enforcement bodies have expressed their commitment to address the problem of leasing out business licenses to foreigners in accordance with the efforts of the Federal government.
Kuala Terengganu City Council (MBKT) mayor Rosli Latiff said MBKT has been monitoring to identify cases of local hawkers handing over their licences to foreigners, including weeding out the bad hats before revoking the licences of those involved.
“MBKT does not give licence approval to foreign hawkers. If we do give, it is to those (foreigners) married to locals who are the business licence holders. So, in such cases we cannot revoke the licence,” he said.
Seremban City Council (MBS) mayor Datuk Masri Razali said it has been the council’s policy not to grant hawker licences to foreigners, including those with permanent resident (PR) status, and officers are stationed at the day and night markets in curbing the problem.
“MBS will also terminate and revoke the hawker’s licence if it is proven that the licence have been leased out to third parties or foreigners. We will also take action against traders who applied for a licence but fail to opearte a business after obtaining it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said the Ipoh City Council (MBI) had never allowed third parties or foreigners to operate a business in the city.
“MBI has been taking action to revoke licences ot those who allow foreigners to operate their business or rent out their premises to third parties and foreigners,” he said.
In the meantime, Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said the state government supports and would act in accordance with the efforts taken by the Federal government for the benefit of local traders.
In Penang, Seberang Perai City Council member P. David Marshel said MBSP has taken various initiatives withthe related agencies to prevent and stop the misuse of licences by sealing the business premises and revoking the licences of those who have violated the regulations.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency