Repossessed car, unpaid loan, RM50k fine: Grocer offers to give up shop

 

After a burger and rojak seller in Kelantan came forward to say that they were slapped with an RM50,000 fine for operating beyond hours under the movement control order (MCO), it has now come to light that a grocer too had suffered a similar fate.

Forty-seven-year-old Mansah Marjurin, who was slapped with the hefty fine for operating beyond 10pm, offered to give up his shop.

Mansah, who is already struggling to make ends meet with his car repossessed and risks losing his home due to an unpaid housing loan, said he can’t afford to pay the fine.

Mansah, speaking to Malaysiakini at his small shop along Jalan Cempaka in Kota Bahru, offered to give up his shop which went by the name of “Kedai Runcit Zaki Jaya”.

“Take my shop. I can’t afford to pay RM50,000. I also have seven months of unpaid house loan amounting to RM650 a month and my car has been repossessed by the bank,” he told Malaysiakini.

Mansah added that he also has to care for three young children who are still in school.

Recounting the incident, Mansah said four police officers came to his shop at 11.30pm on Sunday and immediately slapped him with a fine of RM50,000.

“My shop was already closed. I have CCTV evidence. Only the lights are on because I have a relative over to help clean up. The main gate had been shut.

“I was shocked when four police officers came and immediately issued me an RM50,000 fine and left without using their discretion,” he said.

Mansah said he was lost on what to do and plans to appeal at the district health department later today.

“I will go to the district department to make an appeal today.

“I hope someone can help me in this matter as I really don’t know what to do,” he said.

Previously, Malaysiakini also highlighted the plight of 42-year-old Mohd Azizi Mohd Nor and his 38-year-old wife Nik Norwati Nik Loh after their rojak stall within their home compound at Kampung Chekok Tengah, Kota Bahru was slapped with an RM50,000 fine.

They also claimed to have closed shop and were only cooking up some snacks for their children.

Apart from the couple, 38-year-old burger seller Wan Mohd Faisal Wan Kadir also received an RM50,000 fine for operating beyond hours at a stall outside his home.

Faisal had said he was no longer serving customers at the time and was only finishing up orders to be delivered to a factory.

Kelantan police chief Shafien Mamat had said cops are reviewing the RM50,000 fine issued against the small businesses and will be calling them up.

The government had said those fined could appeal to their local district health office for a reduction.

However, some of the small business owners have said they can’t afford to pay even if they were to receive a substantial discount. - Mkini