KOTA KINABALU: It is not right for hawkers to charge between RM15 and RM20 to visitors using chairs and tables at the city's iconic Tanjung Aru beach as it is a public space, Datuk Junz Wong said.
Urging the authorities to take immediate action, the Tanjung Aru assemblyman said that it is unacceptable for traders or hawkers to impose charges on Sabahans and tourists using public spaces.
He questioned whether the state government had authorised such practices, stressing that public spaces like beaches should remain free and accessible to all.
"There is a need for the relevant authorities to explain how these hawkers were allowed to operate on public land and charge patrons for basic amenities, " Wong, who is also Parti Warisan vice-president said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 29).
Wong said that even if the hawkers had permits to run their stalls, allowing them to charge visitors to sit at tables on a public beach was not acceptable.
“The beach is a public space and it should not be commercialised in this manner,” he said commenting on the issue which went viral on social media over certain hawkers charging RM20 for six people and RM15 for four people to use their tables and chairs set up on the beach to watch the sunset.
"We strongly oppose this and it must be stopped," Wong added.
He said that the authorities should continuously monitor activities at the beach and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“We do not want selfish business operators taking advantage of Sabahans and tourists on this public beach,” he added.
Kota Kinabalu Warisan division chairman Loi Kok Liang said such activities would significantly damage the state’s tourism reputation.
“In today’s digital era, negative news spread quickly and could tarnish the image of Tanjung Aru Beach and our state’s tourism within seconds,” Loi said.
The hawkers come under the Tanjung Aru Eco-Development (TAED) which is managing and upgrading the beach area.
On Thursday (Aug 29), TAED chairman Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said that he was unaware of the matter and would get the management to look into it and take necessary action.
National Consumer Foundation (NCF) Sabah chairman David Chan urged the public to report the actions of the hawkers to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.
