KUALA LUMPUR: The Free Trade Zone (WBB) programme which was introduced in November 2020 to enable anyone to conduct a small business in suitable areas in the three Federal Territories needs to be reviewed in order to meet its real goals.
The Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Traders Association president Rosli Sulaiman said this was due to the fact that there are a number of traders and hawkers who are allegedly taking advantage of the programme by carrying out their business in unauthorised locations, such as on sidewalks, thus blocking pedestrian traffic.
“This causes great inconvenience to the local community.
“We have received many complaints. This is because the stalls are placed on the sidewalk, forcing the public to walk on the road thus putting their own safety at risk,” he told Bernama.
Rosli said WBB was originally aimed at helping those who lost their income due to the Covid-19 pandemic, by giving them free business space.
However, he said, taking into account the recovering economic situation in the country, the initiative needs to be reviewed by setting certain limits as there are allegations that traders and hawkers are taking advantage of the programme.
“Instead of approving more traders’ applications under the WBB, it is better for Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to take care of the good existing traders who actually run a business as their main source of income,” Rosli said.
Similarly, Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Food Truck Entrepreneurs Association (KLFTEA) president Azlan Abas admitted that there was confusion with the term “free trade” under WBB.
“The term WBB refers to doing business in a permitted area, not on a pedestrian or sidewalk area. What if a member of the public gets injured?.
“Therefore, in order to overcome the proliferation of hawkers and traders, there should be immediate monitoring and enforcement by DBKL.
“Perhaps DBKL can hold discussions with traders or hawkers to determine the appropriate location so that it will not be like before (doing business anywhere),” he said.
At the same time, Azlan hopes that traders’ associations can be empowered to help DBKL monitor hawkers and traders so that business is conducted at the proper locations.
“We are not law enforcers but there are elements to our work that can help enforcement and when there is this recognition, it will strengthen the association’s position in the eyes of traders.
“For example, the association can recommend to DBKL to cancel the licence if a trader or hawker, who is our member, does not follow the rules,” he said. - FMT
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