JOHOR BARU: Iskandar Putri City Council councillors have given Mayor Datuk Adib Azhari Daud until Hari Raya to explain allegations of power abuse over licensing issues at the Taman Nusantara Ramadan Bazaar, near Gelang Patah.
Councillors representative Mohd Azam Mektar, who is also a councillor for Gelang Patah Zone 9, said Adib’s move to overturn a decision by the council’s Licensing Committee on April 18 was seen as an act of sabotage against the councillors and state government, Bernama reported.
Mohd Azam said the councillors had made a decision to approve 100 lots for the Ramadan bazaar and the decision was endorsed on April 28.
“The (bazaar site) was a replacement for the original suggested area, which drew protests from shopkeepers and traders in the vicinity on the grounds that the bazaar activity would disrupt their business,“ he said after the council full board meeting today.
“However, the Licensing Department rejected early applications from 47 traders to participate in the bazaar because the mayor wanted to amend the organising rights,“ he added.
Following this, councillors from the affected zone took the initiative to discuss the matter with the mayor, who agreed to grant only 30 licences, despite the 100 agreed earlier.
Mohd Azam said councillors also received public complaints of a Ramadan bazaar traders operating without permits and licences at the original bazaar site.
He said the councillors were raising these allegations (of abuse of power) because the mayor had failed to provide a proper explanation over the matter, which he added could be detrimental to his (mayor’s) credibility.
