A VOTING session organised by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to elect new members for the Taman Overseas Union Garden (OUG) morning market association turned unruly when a group of traders turned up and started shouting.
Over 50 traders converged at the entrance of the Market Place OUG building on Tuesday (Aug 22) bearing banners to oppose the election of new committee members.
They shouted out their dissatisfaction over what they claim is "outside interference" by DBKL and the Seputeh MP's office, accusing authorities for side lining old members.
They claimed that a new group of traders operating at the market was seeking to gain control of the market's management.
"We are not happy with the DBKL and MP's office interference,'' said trader David Choy, who spoke on behalf of the management of the current association.
"We were told that there were many complaints from the public that the market is always congested, rubbish management is bad and there is frequent altercation between rival trader groups,'' Choy said.
He added that they were willing to accept the criticism and improve, but not happy that DBKL and the MP's office were pushing for new members to be elected.
"We have been here for 20 to 30 years. We are not happy that there are newcomers here who are not active members,'' said a trader who only wanted to be identified as Wan.
"You don't see them every day, they come and go."
Wan also said that due to the newcomers, her number of stall lots had reduced from three to one.
Another trader, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that he has been selling clothes for 30 years at the market and had his lots reduced from six to three.
The group also said there were some traders who "suddenly appeared" and took up trading spots belonging to other traders.
A jackfruit trader by the name of Tan said this happened to him.
"One day my spot was taken up by an outsider. The lady was very apologetic and told me she had paid DBKL RM3,000 for the lot,'' said Tan, adding that she has lodged a report with the MACC.
During the election process, the veteran traders said new traders who are not active should not be allowed to vote.
A fairly new trader who started operating two years ago, who identified himself as Ah Choy, said electing new members to any organisation is always a good thing.
"These old timers have been here for so long. They don't realise that change can be good.
"If they don't like (new members) they can vote again – or better still – become a candidate in the next election,'' Ah Choy said.
The post of chairman, vice-chairman, treasurer, secretary and three committee members are being contested, with the meeting still underway at press time.
When contacted, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said that the current management committee had been operating for 20 years
"It is always healthy to carry out an election process for new blood rather than allowing one group to monopolise," she said.
Meanwhile, a DBKL officer coordinating the election session said that the move to allow new appointment of association was done to streamline and re-organise lots at the market.
