ABOUT 30 unlicensed petty traders are hoping that the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will give them permits to continue trading outside the SS2 market in Petaling Jaya.
“Some of us have been in the area for more than 10 years. I tried to apply for a licence but was rejected by the MBPJ,” said Nancy Loke, 51, who has been selling Nyonya kuih and chee cheong fun in Jalan SS2/62 for the past five years.
For the past two weeks, MBPJ enforcement officers were stationed at the area along Jalan SS2/62 from 7am to 11am to deter the traders from setting up their stalls.
There are 138 licensed hawkers in the SS2 morning market.
“My grandfather has been selling rice and dry goods in the area for more than 10 years and I took over the business from him. I tried a few times to apply for a licence in 2005 but did not get it,” said Tang Chin Hong, 25.
“We’re only asking for the MBPJ to allow us to trade on the two sides of this road and we’re not even obstructing traffic,” he said.
“The MBPJ should have prior consultation with all parties concerned before carrying out enforcement against these unlicensed hawkers who have been trading here for more than 10 years and provide them with an alternative solution,” Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said.
Pua said the traders were merely trying to make a living.
“Times are hard and these are the people in need. This is their livelihood so the MBPJ should give them the permits and at the same time obtain revenue from the licence fees,” he said.
However, the licensed traders within the market are not happy with Pua’s proposal, saying that with the competition from the hawkers outside, their own business will be affected.
“Business has been slow for us, especially from Monday to Friday. If the unlicensed hawkers are legalised to operate, our business would be further affected,” said Hawkers Association vice-chairman Khiew Yoon Chin, 42.
Another trader, who only wanted to be known as Siao, said customers walking towards the market would buy goods from the stalls outside the market and that would mean less business for the legal traders.
Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San, meanwhile, said he had raised the matter at the MBPJ full board meeting on Nov 27.
“This kind of blanket policies (to get rid of illegal hawkers) should only be implemented after discussions with both the licensed and unlicensed hawkers.” he said.
“The ruling cannot simply be applied everywhere in PJ. The hawkers are more than happy to apply for a licence if only they are given a chance,” Lau said.
He said besides the traffic concerns, the hawkers should be given trading permits as long as they kept the cleanliness of the roads and were not competing with the existing hawkers in the market.
“The issue would be brought up at the next committee meeting of the MBPJ,” Lau said.
According to MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria, strict enforcement needed to be carried out because of cleanliness problems.
She said the council was weeding out illegal traders in the city and would look into the possibility of giving out licences to the illegal traders in the SS2 market.
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