Klang City Council tears down disabled woman’s stall

The council says all the stalls along Jalan Teratai, Meru, will be demolished.

KLANG: The Klang City Council (MPK) bulldozed a disabled woman’s fruit stall and refused to tell her why it was done.

P Banu, 35, who runs a fruit stall business with her husband in Jalan Teratai, Meru, for the last seven years, said last week a group of MPK enforcement officers came to the stall and asked her to pack up her goods as they were going to tear down the stall.

“When I asked why, they just smiled at me and started the bulldozer. I could not stop them as I am disabled.”

Banu said that she tried to get a licence from MPK but was told she had to register the fruit business with the authorities.

According to her, the MPK wants to clear the land after getting numerous complaints from residents at Taman Daya Maju, Meru.

She added that MPK was selective in tearing down the stalls. A few stalls owned by people from a different race were not touched.

A restaurant and retail store operating from houses without licences were also left untouched.

Said Banu: “I am disabled; what else can I do to make a living? I have two children in primary school.”

She said although she received RM200 from the Welfare Department, it was only enough for school expenses.

A MPK councillor, K Deepakaran, denied that the council was practising double standard, saying that MPK will demolish all the stalls along Jalan Teratai.

“The rest of the stalls have been given eviction notices and will be demolished in the next 14 days,” he said.