THE two Tanjung Sepat restaurant operators whose premises were torn down earlier have submitted their application for temporary lots from the Selangor government – a day before the deadline.
Accompanied by their lawyer MCA Youth Legal Bureau chief Ng Kian Nam and Sepang MCA division chief Datuk Ng Chok Sin, they submitted the application to Selangor Local Government, New Village Development and Legalising of Factories committee chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah at the state secretariat yesterday.
“The operators were told that the deadline for submission is this week, so we have submitted the relevant documents.
“Since it is not a new case, we believe seven days is enough for them to respond,” said Kian Nam.
He said the livelihood of the operators and their workers were affected since the demolition and a temporary location was necessary for them to make a living.
Both the restaurants, Ocean Seafood and Lover's Bridge, were demolished on June 16 to make way for the construction of a food court and jetty upgrading works.
According to Kian Nam, the state government had proposed a spot near the existing site for the temporary relocation earlier this year, however, there were no updates since then.
“We are afraid they are withholding this lot from the operators since they refused to move earlier.
“We urge Ean Yong to reconsider the previous offer as well,” he said.
He also rebutted claims by the state government that the restaurant operators’ refusal to move had caused the delay in the jetty remedial works which in turn affected the livelihood of hundreds of fishermen in the area.
Kian Nam said the jetty was already completed and the restaurants were not a hindrance as they were located further along the path.
“They should not blame the restaurant operators unnecessarily and mislead local residents.
“The restaurant owners’ refusal to move is irrelevant in this case,” he added.
During the press conference held at the state secretariat, the restaurant operators also demanded an apology from Ean Yong for claiming that one of their spokesmen Lee Lee Sin was not an operator.
Kian Nam said Lee was part of the family business for Ocean Restaurant which is being run by her brother Lee Seow Chai.
“The question was never brought up during the judicial review in October 2016 and Lee Sin is also the holder of the temporary occupation licence (TOL) for the restaurants that expired in 2015.
“She took over the TOL from her father who held the licence since 1970s,” added Kian Nam.
He also urged the state government to reveal all the details pertaining to the new food court that was set to be built in place of the demolished restaurants.
Lee Sin, meanwhile, hoped they would receive the temporary operating lots while waiting for the completion of the food court in two years.
“However, if they give us a lot in the food court, we need to discuss the terms and conditions because we sell non-halal food and we are unsure if that is allowed in the food court,” she said.
The food court will be owned and managed by the Kuala Langat District Office.
