KOTA KINABALU: The steep increase in stall rental fees for the Chinese New Year (CNY) night market is raising concerns among traders and consumers, with fears it could impact the annual event.
National Consumer Foundation (Sabah Branch) president David Chan has called on the Foh Sang CNY night market organiser to justify the sharp hike, with stall rentals reportedly reaching up to RM500 per night.
He noted that in previous years, the event, managed by Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK), only charged vendors RM4 per stall.
"The CNY open market is a long-standing tradition, allowing the Chinese community to buy food and essentials before businesses close for the festive period. Such exorbitant fees not only burden small traders but could also drive up prices for consumers," he said.
Chan warned that under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, excessive profiteering could result in fines ranging from RM500,000 to RM100mil.
"We urge affected vendors and consumers to report unfair stall charges to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living for further investigation," he added.
The foundation remains committed to ensuring fair pricing and protecting consumers from unreasonable charges.
