Rent halved for DBKL traders

PUTRAJAYA: Some 10,000 licen­sed traders under the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will receive a 50% rental reduction for two years, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh.

She said DBKL and Labuan Cor­poration are among the earliest local authorities (PBTs) to anno­un­­ce the initiative, aimed at easing the cost-of-living burden on traders, particularly following rising fuel prices.

“We have a long list (of recipients under) DBKL, involving 10,000 traders across all sites, including food courts and markets,” she told reporters at the Putrajaya Aktif Programme here yesterday.

The rental reduction for haw­ker sites and selected premises under DBKL takes effect from April 1 until Dec 31, 2027.

Commenting further, Yeoh said Putrajaya Corporation is still stud­ying the best approach before implementing a similar measure, including assessing additional forms of assistance beyond rental discounts.

Fitness drive: The ‘Putrajaya Aktif’ programme is a government initiative launched to provide free sports classes involving sepak takraw and rope jumping as a specific measure to address obesity among children. — Bernama

However, she said the government is currently prioritising rental reductions over other forms of subsidies, taking into account financial constraints and the need to generate alternative revenue.

“When we reduce rent, we need to find other sources of revenue as we are also facing rising operating costs, including higher fuel prices,” she said.

On the programme, Yeoh said the government has also launched free sports classes involving sepak takraw and skipping in Putrajaya as a targeted effort to address obesity among children.

Youth engagement: Yeoh demonstrating the benefits of sepak takraw, one of the free sports classes offered in Putrajaya that was launched to tackle obesity among children. — LOW BOON TAT/The Star

She said the programme was chosen as it is low-cost and easy for children to practise at home.

“These classes are held twice a month, in the second and fourth weeks, involving 50 participants per session at four locations around Putrajaya and will run throughout the year,” she said, Bernama reported.

Yeoh said the initiative is implemented in collaboration with the Health Ministry, focusing on providing programmes and cultiva­ting interest in sports, while aspects of nutrition and health are monitored by the ministry.

She added that the government also plans to obtain data on obese children in Putrajaya through cooperation with the Education Ministry to expand the program­me’s reach to target groups before extending it to other areas, inclu­ding Kuala Lumpur.