Athedthan (left), Alagarsamy (second from right), Benazir (right) and other business owners standing at the Little India walkway where 44 lots had been allotted for this year’s Deepavali bazaar.
KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) says its move to take full control of this year’s Deepavali bazaar, including lots in front of shops in Little India, Brickfields, is part of a policy to centralise the management of all festive bazaars.
A DBKL spokesperson said the directive, issued last year by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, required all festive bazaars to be run directly by DBKL without the involvement of associations or third parties.
The move, DBKL explained, followed repeated disputes over lot distribution.
However, many shopowners remain unconvinced.
While they have no issue applying for a licence, they said the new balloting system denied them the opportunity to trade outside their own premises, as they had in previous years.
This frustration boiled over during a Sept 12 balloting exercise when out of 44 lots along the Little India walkway, only five went to shopowners; and not a single one outside their respective shops.
Shopowners said having outsiders trading directly in front of their stores created unfair competition, particularly when many were already struggling with rising costs and dwindling sales.
Festivals like Deepavali, they said, were among the few chances left to offset rising costs and losses to online sales.
New Malliga Enterprise Sdn Bhd director Benazir Ahmed, who has sold decorative items in Brickfields for over 20 years, said he had invested RM1mil in stock from Mumbai, India, for this year’s Deepavali.
“We already pay through our noses for rent, utilities, staff and taxes.
“Festivals like Deepavali are when we hope to recover some of these costs,” he said.
Mangala Theebam Wholesale Cash and Carry proprietor Athedthan Letchumanan, who spends about RM120,000 a month in rent and overheads for his two businesses, said sales had plunged 30% to 40% since 2024 due to online competition.
“No one wants to drive through traffic and look for parking when they can buy online and have it delivered.
“This once-a-year chance is when we make money,” he said.
Brickfields Business Community Society secretary Datuk Alagarsamy Kumar said DBKL had overlooked the contributions of long-time businesses.
“For decades, shopowners have been part of the festive vibe here.
“To now ballot like strangers for the right to trade outside our own shops is very disappointing.
“We are not against transparency, but fairness must start with recognising the people who sustain this area year-round,” he said.
DBKL said 263 people took part in the balloting for bazaar lots across the city.
This year’s Deepavali bazaar will feature 140 stalls in five locations: Jalan Bunus (six), Masjid India (24), Jalan Tun Sambanthan in front of Sentral Suites (36), Jalan Tun Sambanthan in front of Kompleks Tun Sambanthan (16), Jalan Rakyat (14) and the Little India walkway (44).
The bazaar is from Sept 29 to Oct 19.
