The stalls at last year’s Deepavali bazaar in Brickfields. — Filepic
ABOUT 50 shop owners in Little India, Brickfields, are unhappy with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for granting temporary Deepavali bazaar licences to outsiders to operate stalls in front of their premises.
While the shop owners, who are members of the Brickfields Business Community Society (BBCS), said they were not against traders operating there, they objected to them setting up in front of their shops.
The shop owners had applied for temporary licences, similar to previous years, and had expected to trade outside their premises.
BBCS submitted an application letter dated July 21, requesting temporary licences for shop owners to set up stalls from Sept 20 to Oct 20.
It claimed that DBKL’s move to give permits to outsiders was unfair and would block access to their businesses.
BBCS secretary Datuk Alagarsamy Kumar said it was unreasonable for non-shop owners to be given licences to trade directly in front of established businesses.
“These stalls will block our entrances.
“We are shop owners who pay taxes and shoulder monthly commitments, including staff salaries.
“I spend RM150,000 a month to keep my business running. How is it fair to give licences to outsiders?”
Alagarsamy said licences should have been given to shop owners, while outsiders could have been allocated stalls elsewhere.
“This promotes unhealthy competition and will cost us financial losses during the festive season.”
Alagarsamy says the group’s lawyer sent a letter to the mayor, urging her to resolve the matter.
Alagarsamy said the group had engaged a lawyer who had sent a letter to Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Sharif, urging her to resolve the matter fairly.
Brickfields Rukun Tetangga chairman SKK Naidu said the space in front of shops should go to the owners.
“This was done during Ramadan in Jalan Masjid India, so why can’t the same be done in Little India?”
Shop owner K. Raj, who sells saree, Punjabi suits and kurta, said, “If I am selling saree and the vendor outside is also selling saree and Punjabi suits, that is unfair to me.
“I should get the spot in front of my shop. I hope the mayor steps in,” said Raj.
Another textile seller, who declined to be named, said this was the busiest time of the year for them.
“Instead of helping local businesses, DBKL is making it harder for customers to reach us,” he said.
“We are not asking for special treatment, but the right to operate in front of our own shops.”
DBKL Corporate Communications Department told StarMetro that it was looking into the matter.
The Deepavali bazaar in Brickfields has long been a contentious issue between traders and DBKL.
Last year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa directed DBKL to take over the management and allocation of all bazaars after repeated disputes over lot distribution.
