Review hawker free trade zone programme: trader associations

KUALA LUMPUR – The Free Trade Zone (WBB) programme, introduced in November 2020 to enable the people to conduct small business in suitable areas in the three Federal Territories, needs to be reviewed in order to meet its real goals.

Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Association president Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman said this is due to the fact that there are a number of traders and hawkers who are allegedly taking advantage of doing business in unauthorised locations such as on sidewalks, thus blocking pedestrian traffic.

“This causes great inconvenience to the local community. We hope if an applicant wants to do business under WBB, it should stop there, as there is no need to open the offer again.

“We have received many complaints because the stalls are placed on the sidewalk, and members of the public are forced to walk on the road, thus putting their own safety at risk,” he said.

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, considering the recovering economic situation, he said the initiative needs to be reviewed by setting certain limits as there are allegations that traders and hawkers are taking advantage of the programme.

“Rather than approving more trader applications under the WBB, it is better for the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to take care of the good existing traders who actually make business their main source of income,” said Rosli.

Similarly, Kuala Lumpur Food Truck Entrepreneurs Association president Muhammad Azlan Abas admitted that there is 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 trader associations can be empowered to help the city hall monitor hawkers and traders so that business is conducted at a more organised location.

“We are not law enforcers, but there are elements 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 the city hall to cancel the licence if a trader or hawker does not follow the rules,” he said. – Bernama, March 4, 2023