Food stalls at Ampang’s lower look out point are popular yet dangerous

Sweeping views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline and brightly lit Ampang sprawl makes this spot a unique one compared to other street food spots.

THE closure of the popular Ampang Look Out Point (ALOP) about two years ago still brings about laments from locals and tourists alike.

Food aside, the greatest attraction of ALOP had been its killer view of the bright Kuala Lumpur skyline and the Ampang sprawl, a fact evident from the countless photographs floating online.

It was a place that was packed every night, the only time it was opened, and parking was a bit of a nightmare unless one did not mind a little uphill climb after parking nearer to the gates a little down the slope.

All these are now in the past but a new and likely replacement for such a niche in the local tourism and food industry has emerged just down the road from ALOP.

Stunning view of the Kuala Lumpur skyline makes this spot a unique one compared to other street food spots.

In a nutshell, it is simply a collection of roadside stalls lining the junction of Jalan Hulu Langat and Jalan Mulia 2/1.

All kinds of local street food from satay to fried noodles are sold there and on some days, there are even leg massages by a blind masseuse.

On a good business day, there will be more than 20 stalls and the combined generator-powered lights from the stalls act like a lure for customers travelling along the dark, unlit road.

First-time visitor Robert Pak, 28, from Subang Jaya, had not expected the set-up when a friend told him about it.

“I came expecting something like a dirty roadside stall but once here I was quite amazed. There is nowhere else that compares. There is a variety of food and the view is first class. I would definitely recommend this place to others,” he said.

“This place has that simplicity which is what I feel has made many other street foods a resounding success. It is also definitely a plus that I did not need to spend a bomb to enjoy a simple meal or this great view,” he said.

A slope there that also had some landslip, has become a rubbish dump.

Diners usually sit on plastic chairs and tables placed on boards that doubled as drain covers or on the slope opposite the road.

The busiest period here are Fridays, weekends and holidays, with customers constantly coming and going from sun-down to sun-up, according to Rose Azreen Salleh, 26, one of the hawkers who has been there longest.

“There were only a few stalls when we first started here. We immediately had a lot of customers. Every night I am open for business, I serve between 500 to 1,000 customers.

“On days when it rains, many will not open their stalls. It is rare but there have been occasions when not even one stall was open for business,” she said.

Rose Azreen said in the first year or so, they had a lot of problems with the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) with enforcement offices visiting repeatedly to shut them down.

“After a few episodes, we came together and formed the Bukit Ampang Hawkers Association to discuss our situation with MPAJ.

“We were not able to legalise this set-up but we came out with an unspoken agreement that allowed us to carry on our businesses with some conditions,” she said.

Glimpses of the area inside the permanently closed Ampang Look Out Point shows it to be completely abandoned and overgrown.

This meant taking care of the cleanliness in the area, including cleaning the drains and also hiring Rela personnel to handle traffic and parking.

Rose Azreen admits, however, that the association does not have absolute power in the area and there have been incidence of hawkers not following the rules.

“Once, a new hawker had placed tables and chairs on the road despite the association and MPAJ’s rules against it. Later, an accident occurred where two customers were hit by a speeding car.

“The stalls were asked to relocate to a lower location,” she said, adding that all stalls were ordered shut for a month by MPAJ after the incident.

MPAJ public relations officer Norhayati Ahmad said they have received many complaints about the place.

“From our point of view, it is too dangerous. People are sitting right beside the slope and by the roadside where accidents can happen. There are also complaints about congestion,” she said, adding that the council was closely monitoring the spot.

She said they were considering the option of relocating the traders to a proper spot but no firm plans have been made.

A visit to the spot during the day showed a slope dotted with litter although the rest of the area is clean, especially where customers walked.

Boards have been placed over the drains, right above the slope to accommodate chairs and tables that are removed by day.

The boards that the traders had placed over the drains are right above the slope and a minor landslip could easily bring it rolling down along with anyone on it.

If they were to be shut down for good, Rose Azreen believed young people like her could find other work but there were a number of old traders who were likely not able to find anything else to do.

“What will they live on? How will they feed and clothe their families? In fact, I am all for the authorities to legalise us and build proper stalls for us to rent,” she said, adding that the traders all lived nearby.

Legalising them could also be a method of control for the authorities, especially when it comes to imposing proper guidelines to control safety, cleanliness and even limiting traders.

“This place is saturated as it is. There is no space for more stalls so even the existing traders will be inconvenienced if more come in,” Rose Azreen said.