Rats! Ku Nan faces trader revolt over new mall

'Masterminds' urging small traders not to leave rat-infested Keramat market.

PUTRAJAYA: “Masterminds” have been blamed for a revolt among 200 small traders at Keramat Market against moving to the Keramat Mall shopping complex, federal territories minister Tengku Adnan Mansor said today.

He said these masterminds, made up of traders and outsiders, had alleged that the complex had few visitors. “I know the culprits. They (masterminds) have an agenda to instigate the traders. They have eight or nine lots each. They will only get one, when the ministry conducts a rationalisation exercise,” he said.

“I warn them not to play with fire. I am firm about giving comfort to traders and the public, and looking after cleanliness,” he said.

On Thursday, about 320 traders at Keramat Market, protesting against the move, appealed to prime minister Najib Razak to intervene.
The mostly Malay traders, who had inherited the business activities at Keramat Market, said they were not willing to move to the “dead” mall.

Tengku Adnan said the traders were asked to move because Keramat Market had become one of the biggest rat-breeding nests, other than the Chow Kit and Pudu markets.

He said his ministry had set up a mini Urban Transformation Centre at the mall to make it viable for traders. “Initially, the traders claimed the Keramat Mall was too modern. As such, Kuala Lumpur City Hall agreed to develop the site as a commercial centre as they had demanded. But they are still stubborn,” he clarified.

Tengku Adnan said the ministry would also build affordable homes at RM188,000 a unit and ‘zone houses’ for the children of the traders working in service industries at a rental of RM50 or RM70 each a month.

“I want to solve this matter this year. I want to give comfort and cleanliness to every youth in the city against being affected by rat-borne diseases,” he said.

More than 3,000 residents of Putrajaya and their families attended a family day feast here with activities such as aerobics, variety games and cooking the gotong royong way.

– BERNAMA