KUALA LUMPUR: Traders and hawkers have called on the relevant law enforcement bodies to study the root cause leading to the misuse of business licences.
They also urged the authorities to take action against those involved, especially in leasing their permits to foreigners.
This came following the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) would revoke the licences that had been given out to other parties including foreigners.
Most hawkers and traders support the move, but they said they hope the authorities would investigate if elements of corruption and misconduct were involved in the process of granting business licences and renting out hawker sites to foreigners.
Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Association president Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman said local authorities need to ensure transparency in granting licences and look into the root causes of the problem.
He said he received reports of traders holding up to seven night market business licences and local hawkers selling their licences to foreigners.
“Proactive measures must be taken to address the matter to safeguard the welfare of the people, especially local traders,” he said, reported Bernama.
In Kelantan, Kedai Melor Traders Community chairman Nik Pa Nik Hassan urged local authorities to re-examine the business premises ownership in view of the growing number of foreign owners over the past few years.
He said these foreign-owned business premises were using the licences of the locals.
“Most of the foreigners are married to single mothers, in their late 50s, just to use their wife’s name to register the business.
“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 licences by foreigners so that they are not monopolised by a certain group,” he said.
In Kedah, provision shop operator Mazlan Bakar, 61, said firmer action must be taken in revoking misused licences to ensure no one is able to take the opportunity to use them.
“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.
In Melaka, belacan and cencaluk trader Amir Izzudin, 30, hoped the revoking of licences issued to foreigners would be actively implemented as the matter had been dragging on for too long.
Meanwhile, state enforcement bodies have expressed their commitment to addressing the problem.
Kuala Terengganu City Council mayor Rosli Latiff said the council has been checking on cases of local hawkers giving their licences to foreigners.
“We do not issue licences to foreign hawkers,” he said, adding that the council could not revoke the licences of businesses operated by foreigners because the permit holders are their local spouses.
Other local authorities such as the Seremban City Council and Ipoh City Council do not issue business licences to foreigners, including those with permanent resident status.
They said licences that were leased out to third parties would be revoked.
