The practice of reselling Ramadan bazaar lots to third parties has been occurring among traders themselves on a voluntary basis and does not involve any hawkers’ associations, according to Gabungan Persatuan Penjaja dan Peniaga Malaysia President, Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman.
He revealed to Sinar Harian that this activity has been going on for a long time, particularly at Lorong Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur.
The resale price of a bazaar lot can reach up to RM30,000, depending on its location.
However, he clarified that the licenses being resold mainly involve dry goods such as clothing and accessories, not food stalls.
Strict action to be taken
His statement comes after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ordered Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to revoke business licenses for Ramadan bazaar lots that were resold to third parties.
Rosli welcomed the Prime Minister’s firm stance and admitted that his organization has long urged authorities to take strict action against traders involved in such activities.
He explained that various tactics are used to evade enforcement detection.
“To avoid getting caught, traders will register the original lot tenant as an ‘assistant.’
This way, enforcement officers cannot take action against the third-party buyer, even though they are the actual business owner. The original tenant remains at the stall but only as a figurehead,” he said.
Previously, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), Dr. Zaliha Mustafa, announced that DBKL would fully manage Ramadan bazaar license applications and maintenance starting this year.
This shift aims to ensure fair rental prices for hawkers and improve overall management, replacing the previous system where organizers handled the process.
She added that this initiative was introduced in response to complaints about the high fees imposed for business license applications.
