KUALA LUMPUR: Traders at the Ramadan Bazaar in Danau Kota will be allowed to operate this year, provided they apply for licenses online without involving third parties, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said today.
He said the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had approved the licences of about 140 traders and hawkers in the area after performing a census and background checks on whether they were linked to the bazaar organiser being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“DBKL officers conducted a census on traders yesterday, and they have been required to file online applications without involving any third parties by Monday,“ he said when contacted by reporters here.
DBKL’s decision on the matter has come as a relief to traders who were anxious following a notice issued to close the bazaar premises a day before the fasting month began.
“The question on whether the bazaar site will be continued in subsequent years will be discussed later, what’s important is the status of trading this year has been resolved. DBKL will also conduct periodic checks to ensure that no parties take advantage of the situation as well as the cleanliness of the premises,” he said.
Last Wednesday, Bernama reported that more than 100 hawkers and traders at the Danau Kota Ramadan Bazaar requested DBKL to allow them to trade at the site following the issuance of the closure notice.
The traders viewed it as an extreme measure which affected their livelihood and disrupted months of prior planning. — Bernama
