KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will be enforcing a few key rules on traders operating at this year’s Ramadan bazaars.
There will be no selling or subletting of licences, no selling fireworks at either Ramadan or Aidilfitri bazaars here and traders must maintain hygiene and cleanliness at all times, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Federal Territories Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
Zaliha said that over 600 enforcement officers will work in shifts to monitor the 3,201 bazaar lots across 42 locations to ensure compliance with regulations.
“DBKL officers will be stepping up enforcement to prevent the illegal subletting and resale of Ramadan bazaar licences. They will monitor all trading locations across the city,” she said.
“These officers will be stationed at bazaars throughout the month to ensure that only licensed traders are operating and to clamp down on any unauthorised third-party involvement.”
A key focus of the enforcement effort will be scrutinising individuals manning the stalls, including assistants employed by traders, to ensure they are not proxy operators who have acquired licences through illegal means.
“If we catch anyone subletting licences, both the original licence holder and the person who paid for it will be penalised. They will be blacklisted,” Zaliha warned.
She was speaking at a special briefing session on Ramadan bazaars at a hotel in the city on Wednesday (Feb 26).
This year, the KL City Hall will be managing the bazaars independently.
Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, who was also at the briefing, added: “Our officers will be inspecting each stall to verify that the licence holder is the same person running the business.
“There are instances where a stall owner temporarily leaves for prayers, leaving a helper in charge. But our officers will return later to check again,” Maimunah added.
On hygiene, Zaliha said that random checks will be carried out to ensure that stall owners have received their typhoid vaccinations and that food is prepared hygienically, while rubbish is properly disposed of.
City Hall has allocated a total of 3,201 trading lots across 40 locations for Ramadan, with key areas including Batu (560 lots), Bandar Tun Razak (580 lots), and Titiwangsa (468 lots).
Additionally, 366 trading lots have been designated for the Aidilfitri bazaars, primarily at Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman (216 lots) and Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Chow Kit (150 lots).
The sale of fireworks is also strictly prohibited at all bazaars. DBKL has warned traders that violations will result in immediate action, as part of a broader enforcement strategy to ensure public safety and regulatory compliance throughout the festive period.
To maintain order, KL City Hall has implemented strict guidelines for bazaar traders, including a deposit deduction system for Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaar traders based on compliance violations.
A full 100% deposit deduction will be imposed on traders found using foreign workers as assistants.
A 50% deduction will apply if the licence holder is absent during inspections, the stall operates beyond the approved lot size, licence fees are not settled, public areas are obstructed, the trader lacks typhoid vaccination, cleanliness standards are not maintained, or licences are not properly displayed.
A 20% deduction will be enforced for selling unapproved items or operating beyond the stipulated hours.
Ramadan bazaar lots are priced at RM500, while the rate for Aidilfitri lots is RM2,700 inclusive of licence fee, service charge and deposit.
Lot sizes are 8x8 feet (2.44m), and canopies must remain within designated lots. Vendors must wear aprons and hats, and all stalls must have plastic bags or bins for waste disposal.
It was previously reported that middlemen were allegedly reselling lots at the Jalan Masjid India bazaar for between RM12,000 and RM15,000 per lot, while in TTDI, the asking price ranged between RM3,500 and RM5,000 per lot.
Zaliha, however, assured the public that the licensing process had been conducted transparently.
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