Yee (right) counting the number of stalls that are closed at Metro Prima Hawker Centre in Kepong. — SS KANESAN/The Star
TRADERS at food courts must be reviewed periodically to ensure they are still operating and are not depriving others who want to do business there.
Community activist Yee Poh Ping said some operators at food courts managed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had ceased business but have not cleared out of the place.
“These operators have not updated their status with DBKL and are depriving others who want to trade there,” he said.
He cited as an example the Metro Prima Hawker Centre in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, where only a handful of traders were still operating.
“Out of 26 stalls here, only five to seven stalls are open.
“The rest have been closed for several years and the place is in a bad condition,” he said in a press conference.
Yee claimed that when interested traders approached DBKL in hopes of operating at the food court, they were told there were no vacancies.
“Has DBKL actually checked the situation on the ground and determined which stalls are still operating?
“This is a good location, with parking facilities and a large catchment of people.
“Rental here is only around RM200 per month. It is the cheapest option for small businesses,” he said.
In comparison, Yee said stall operators at a nearby coffeeshop paid about RM30 to RM60 rental per day.
Atiqah Najwa, one of the operators at the Metro Prima Hawker Centre, said the closed stalls were a turn-off for many customers.
“When they see the majority of stalls are closed, they tend to walk away.
“In the beginning, our business was also suffering, but we spent some money to redo the kitchen and front areas to make it more welcoming,” she said.
She hopes that DBKL will upgrade the drains and other infrastructure to make the place more comfortable.
During a visit one weekday afternoon, StarMetro saw only one food stall open while another operated as a sundry shop.
The tables and chairs needed to be replaced while the toilets were locked up.
Resident Lee Fook Sang, 63, said the place had been in disrepair for several years.
“There are plenty of other eateries around the Metro Prima commercial area and the food court is in a prime location.
“It can be a place for people to find cheaper food options once it is done up,” he said.
Yee said he had raised the matter with DBKL Socio-Economic Development executive director Datuk Azmi Abdul Hamid but had yet to receive a response.
At press time, DBKL had yet to respond to StarMetro’s request for comments.
