‘Oppressed’ traders protests relocation

Traders at the Jalan Penang Ramadhan Bazaar are claiming that they have been "oppressed' since Pakatan took over the state government.

GEORGE TOWN:  The Jalan Penang Ramadhan bazaar traders here are protesting the Penang Municipal Council’s decision to relocate them to Jalan Phee Choon.

The traders’ representative, Abdul Karim Gulam Ali, said the Council’s move would cause the approximately 20 bumiputera traders to incur losses as the new site was a more secluded spot.

“We’ve been trading here (Jalan Penang) for the past 26 years without any interruptions or disturbance from the authorities.

“But since the opposition coalition took over Penang, bumiputera traders have been oppressed,” he told reporters, here today.

He said blaming the bazaar for traffic congestion in the area was just an excuse, as it was a common occurrence in the state.

He added that the state’s proposed allocation of RM6,000 to provide free tents was not really helpful because the new location was the site of an abandoned project and not a popular spot for shoppers.

He urged the state government and Council to resolve the situation immediately.

- Bernama