Allocation to build, upgrade stalls gives new breath of life to hawkers, petty traders

KUALA LUMPUR - The government's initiative to empower hawkers and petty traders, through the allocation of RM50 million to build and upgrade 3,000 stalls and kiosks, is akin to giving the group a new breath of life to run their business.

The Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Traders Association president Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman said this is due to the fact that there are several areas where hawkers and petty traders do business which badly require new construction and upgrading, to enable them to do business comfortably at better stalls or kiosks.

"In Kuala Lumpur, there are several areas which need to be upgraded, for example at Pasar Pudu. From its establishment until today, Pasar Pudu has not had any new construction. Hence, I hope that the provision can be implemented," he told Bernama when contacted recently.

On Feb 24, the Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of Finance, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in the tabling of Budget 2023, announced an allocation of RM50 million to build new and upgrade 3,000 stalls and kiosks, as facilities for hawkers and petty traders to do business in focal locations nationwide.

Rosli also suggested that the government invite representatives of hawker associations to be equally involved in providing views and thoughts on any new construction or upgrading of any booth or kiosk for petty traders and hawkers.

"I have met with the hawker community and they requested that the leaders of the hawker associations should be invited to give their views and suggestions, so that the provision should be utilised as best as possible. We don't want the allocation to stray from what we need.

"We see how many food courts are being built, but are now without customers. Hence, we don’t want any wastage, we hope for views and proposals from the leaders of the existing hawker associations to be given due consideration by the PBT (local authority),” he said.

Meanwhile, Jalan Alor Traders and Hawkers Association secretary Simon Ang hopes that the allocation by the government can bring together hawkers and petty traders in certain areas, especially in B40 areas such as the People's Housing Project (PPR), to help them do business.

However, he called on the local authority not to issue new hawker business licences in certain areas, but instead to improve the existing hawker licence ownership system and ensure that rental-related issues do not occur.

He said that the problem was not about infrastructure, but the enforcement of hawkers dumping, especially in the area around Kuala Lumpur.

"Hawkers are everywhere, in front of shops and shopping centres, at the five-foot way (blocking routes), at traffic junctions (causing danger for road users). All these create problems for pedestrians and cause shops to be blocked and affect restaurant businesses.

"For example at Jalan Alor, previously DBKL promised not to issue new licences, but more licences were issued since. Some are blocking shops' operations. Shop operators or restaurants need to pay rent, but hawkers only need to pay RM144 per year. It's very unfair if more and more licences are issued," he added. - BERNAMA