DBKL : "Politicians Profiting From Illegal Stalls In KL"

Someone said the other day that I have been whining a lot and not suggesting solutions for my whining.

Firstly it is true that since May 5th I have not been making many suggestioins, other than that little bit of advice to SPAD about the express bus ticket prices for this coming Hari Raya season.  

However, many of the things that are highlighted in the Blogs are the wrongs. Wrongs do not need solutions. Just stop doing the wrong things.

You cannot tell people 'Well I agree this is the wrong thing to do but until you make a better suggestion I will continue doing the wrong things". That is stupid. 

Today I want to comment about something that was written in The Star on Wednesday.

I was involved in this a little bit because The Star interviewed me about this issue. Not just once but more than once. This is about the huge mess which Kuala Lumpur has now become.  First here is The Star :

1. Illegal stall operators blatantly disregarding DBKL regulation

Stories by BAVANI M 

• increasing number of illegal stalls mushrooming in KL a nuisance to the public
• also blamed for worsening rubbish and rat menace.
• City Hall said political interference was frustrating efforts to curb problem
• “number of illegal stalls tripled over past few months.
• “political pressure not to take action against them,’’ said senior officer 

2. City folk all for curbing political interference

• ensure support letters given to illegal hawkers from all quarters  ignored.
• Tengku Adnan’s directive to DBKL to ignore support letters from political parties
• stakeholders said they wanted the instructions to include all levels of government. 
• “directive includes all levels of government and society,’’ said FT Hawkers 
• “I mean no interference even from the PM’s and DPM’s departments. " 
• DBKL had always been vulnerable to all forms of interference in the past
• “This announcement is good news. Curbing political interference is one thing
• DBKL must beef up enforcement, which is the root of the problem of illegal hawkers,’’ 
• Segambut Dalam, Chow Kit and Selayang have been taken over by foreign hawkers 
• Tengku Adnan announced DBKL must be free of political interference (ha ha ha)
• DBKL told to disregard recommendation letters from political parties.
• Adnan concerned with illegal hawker stalls many of which are manned by foreigners.
• DBKL would no longer tolerate such blatant abuse of the law and action would be taken.

 Allowed to exist: An illegal stall operating inside a private carpark in Brickfields

3. Here is the last report from The Star :

• Illegal hawkers' letters of endorsement fr political parties will not be acknowledged, says FT Minister
• Adnan said DBKL will revoke licences of those who sub-let their Ramadan bazaar.
• Adnan said illegal hawkers bearing letters of endorsement or support from political parties will no longer be entertained by DBKL.
• these letters of support would not stop DBKL enforcement officers from their duties.
• “I have given instructions that if the stalls are illegal, action will be taken against them.
• “take action irrespective of any surat sokongan  from any political party,’’ he added.

My comments : Folks there is serious bullshit going on here. Everyone mentioned in these reports is just pulling the wool over our eyes. 

In the first report above the DBKL guys are accusing the politicians of issuing support letters even for illegal hawkers.  So the DBKL is accusing the politicians.

Why would politicians issue support letters to illegal hawkers? (Cikgu, cikgu I know the answer, I know the answer.)  Even if the politicians issued support letters, why does the DBKL allow illegal hawkers especially foreign hawkers, to operate illegal hawker stalls? 

The report says the number of illegal stalls has tripled over the past few months. This is very true. 

Kuala Lumpur is now becoming the "Hawker Capital of the World".  

And most of these hawker stalls are running on surat sokongan from the politicians.

I say brader, bagi surat sokongan pun tak menang pilihanraya juga.  BN tak menang kerusi Parlimen KL pun - except for two seats I think. Pathetic. Padan muka.

The "persatuan penjaja" fellows mentioned above sound like angels. They are saying that they too dont agree with these 'surat sokongan' from the politicians. I am so touched, almost in tears. 

And Tengku Adenan the brave new Minister of the Federal Territories says, 

• DBKL will revoke the licences of those who sub-let their lots during the Ramadan bazaar.
• illegal hawkers bearing letters of endorsement or support from political parties will no longer be entertained by DBKL

Sorry ah but how many of you morons really believe what he is saying?

All this is bullshit. Some of the persatuan people work closely with the politicians and the DBKL. The suckers are the "illegal hawkers" especially the 'foreign illegal hawkers' - like the guys pushing the carts etc. 

The greatest suckers are of course us - the members of the public.

The rat menace is increasing because these illegal hawkers dump all their left over food in the nearest drain or in the Klang and Gombak Rivers. The rats really love them.

They push their hawker stalls all over the place, close off lorongs and roads, block the sidewalks and just treat the city like it belongs to them. Traffic gets congested, cars get backed up, parking spots get taken up.

Some of the "persatuan" guys 'organise' the illegal hawkers, the foreign hawkers etc. Then they approach the politicians for the 'surat sokongan' - on behalf of the poor  'kami tak ada peluang hidup lain' hawkers. 

The politicians issue the letters. The 'persatuan' then goes to the DBKL and talks to their favorite DBKL pegawais. The DBKL will get the licenses issued. Often the license is issued to the 'persatuan' - this actually makes it legal. Then the 'persatuan' will give the licenses to the poor  "kami tak ada peluang hidup lain' hawkers - usually from Indonesia. 

Err...one small detail is missing. Money. Money is involved. The illegal hawkers will not get any licenses for free. Especially the Indon hawkers. They have to pay - money.  This is obvious isnt it?

So, often it is the other way around - someone has already organised all these licenses, surat sokongan, Indon hawkers and everything. Everyone is in the loop. Its close one eye all the way. Money has to change hands.

And here is another scoop. Tak payah surat sokonganlah. Because they use a surat sokongan from the first Agong.  Would you like to see it? Here it is :

So all this crap about surat sokongan is just camouflage. A smokescreen. Tak ada surat sokongan pun it does not make any difference - the license will still get issued. 

Bayar saja.  Money is bigger than surat sokongan. Then they go and find the suckers - the poor hawkers.  If they are Indons lagi bagus - they can be easily bullied. If the Indons make too much noise, they can be deported. 

So that is how the number of illegal hawkers is increasing in KL.  Tengku Adnan's comments above are not worth much. I will not even repeat it.

KL has had this hawker problem for years and years. The problem is getting worse. 

The Prime Minister does not think this is an important point.  He does not realise that we have lost almost all Parliamentary seats in KL in 2008 and 2013 also because of the mess that KL has become. 

KL is now the "Hawkers Capital of the World".  And the Prime Minister has sent a tikus to repair the labu.  Are you really being serious about this Mr Prime Minister ?

The politicians have been closing one eye so that some of the crooked 'persatuan' and some of the crooked 'DBKL' pegawai are making money from the illegal and foreign hawkers.  So that the BN will get the votes. But the BN did not get the votes.

Here is the reason why these illegal hawkers do not generate any votes for the BN.Because many of them are foreigners bodoh !! Foreign hawkers CANNOT vote.

Anyway, all this is exasperating. So I am going to try something new : Datin Rosmah Mansor please help us. Do something.  You da man !!