Traders are bracing for a second demolition exercise involving illegal structures at Lembah Subang 1 People’s Housing Project (PPR) in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
The first phase enforcement action by Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) targeted 32 stalls built over drains along Jalan PJU 1A/46.
Those unaffected by the Aug 20 enforcement action said the next round of demolitions had been delayed.
On July 1, over a hundred unlicensed traders received notice from Department of the Director General of Lands and Mines.
Seri Setia assemblyman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said the structures were illegal and pitched on land gazetted for a four-lane road, and not for trade.
He said the unlicensed business owners had obstructed drains which worsened floods and hindered maintenance, making clearance essential for infrastructure works.
Mohammad Fahmi said the demolition effort made way for infrastructure improvements including a pedestrian walkway to Lembah Subang LRT station.
Displaced traders
Single mother Thulasimalar Murughandi, 43, is the sole provider for her family since 2010.
For the past five years, she has been selling nasi lemak, panipuri, popiah and drinks from a mobile stall at the corner of the Block C flats and has now been displaced by the enforcement.
Her stall is courtesy of one of Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor’s (PKNS) programmes.
“I earn about RM800 a month which is just enough to make ends meet,” said Thulasimalar, who is diabetic.
“PKNS asked me to provide updates on my monthly sales, and I haven’t been able to do so since the demolition took place.”
Following the enforcement action, MBPJ told her to move to an open space at PPR Lembah Subang, she said.
“Due to health issues, I find it difficult to push my mobile stall back and forth from Block C, where I live, to the new site,” she said, adding that on Tuesdays, a pasar malam operated at the site.
Thulasimalar said she applied for a business licence from MBPJ but it had yet to be approved.
Chicken rice seller Mohd Shukri Zahir’s stall was also demolished.
He inherited his shop from his father and had traded in Lembah Subang for 20 years.
“This business is my life. I am the sole breadwinner as my wife is a housewife,” he said.
Mohd Shukri, 33, said a meeting was held with Mohammad Fahmi on Aug 6.
“We were told that only the 32 stalls operating along the drain would be demolished, but 16 more were torn down including mine,” he said.
“I have looked at other options for my business, but I will have to fork out RM4,000 for a deposit to rent a shop,” he said.
Upon receiving the MBPJ demolition notice, roti canai seller Roslan Nayan, 39, took the initiative to move his shop away from the drain.
“We were told to be four metres away from the drains. I moved my stall eight metres away,” said the father of five.
“However, on the night before the demolition, we were told that all the stalls surrounding the drain would be demolished.
“My entire family worked at the stall but now that it is gone, my younger brother has taken a job at factory to make ends meet.”
Food stall and car wash operator Manjeet Kaur, 35, said she was made to understand that her business, which was not on the drain, would not be affected in the demolition process.
“However on Aug 19, an MBPJ officer called and told me to remove my equipment.
“My workers and I stayed up until 4am to remove everything,” she said, adding that she believed there was miscommunication between MBPJ and the assemblyman.
“As for my food stall, MBPJ told me to apply for a licence but approval is still pending.”
Lembah Subang 1 Hawker Action Committee chairman Maharudin Yusof said instructions from the assemblyman and authorities contradicted each other.
“Most of us are unsure what to do now,” he said.
Maharudin said proper engagement should be carried out with the traders, who are also residents of PPR Lembah Subang 1, before any further enforcement takes place.
Obstacles at new site
Out of the 32 traders affected, only seven have been issued licences to move to a new site at PPR Lembah Subang 1.
When StarMetro visited the site, only two traders had their stall up and running.
Mohammad Fahmi said although the traders had submitted applications, MBPJ could not process them because of outstanding summonses.
“The summonses must be cleared before business licences can be issued,” he said, adding that many traders owed thousands of ringgit in summonses.
On the new site, he said it was shared with the Tuesday night market.
“This means traders must pack up their stalls daily.
“The traders must choose one of three trading sessions: either in the morning, afternoon or night.”
Outside market hours, the lots double up as a parking space.
The traders said while MBPJ had instructed them to move to the new site, it did not get vehicle owners to vacate the space.
Fruit seller Zainol Mat Nor, 34, said his allocated lot had been taken by a vehicle.
“MBPJ did not sort things out with the car owners, leaving us to fight over the space,” he said.
Another food trader, who only wanted to be known as Rosmi, said he was lucky to have joined the Ramadan bazaar earlier this year.
“It helped me realise that I had old summonses. I cleared them before the Aug 20 demolition, which made it easier to secure a new lot,” he said, adding that he lost RM2,000 worth of kitchen equipment due to the enforcement exercise.
“We waited for directives from MBPJ. We were only told about the new site after the demolition exercise on Aug 20.”
Unsure of tomorrow
With phase two around the corner, the remaining traders are preparing for the worst.
These include other food sellers, mechanics, barbers and even sundry shops.
A burger seller who only wanted to be known as Sham, 48, said the traders were aware that they had been operating on government land.
“If MBPJ goes ahead with the demolition, we hope to be given proper lots and that our summonses are reduced,” he said.
“We’re just trying to survive.”
Sundry shop owner Nor Shahrizal Ghazali, 43, said it was not possible to rent a shop elsewhere for reasonable rent.
He said he had built the shop with a RM108,000 bank loan, and the thought of losing it weighed heavily on him.
“If I have to move to nearby areas, the rent is extremely high, about RM3,500 to RM4,500 per month with a four-month deposit. I cannot afford it,” he said.
“The majority of my customers are local residents, especially senior citizens and the disabled.
“Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we have been delivering directly to their homes, particularly for people with disabilities who rely on us.”
Nor Shahrizal said the shop was his only source of income to support his five children who were still schooling.
“If the shop is torn down, how else can we put food on the table?” he asked.
Mechanic Mohd Noor Asnee, 42, said he was unsure of what to do next.
“I have four children and another on the way.
“We only received the eviction notice, but there has been no engagement with the authorities.
“At least come and see how we are doing,” he said.
He said while food traders were allocated lots, there was no clear plan for other businesses.
MBPJ had not responded to queries at press time.
