Double Standard Ruling Claims Pasar Malam Traders

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Pasar malam traders in the city are taking the National Security Council (NSC) to task over its refusal to allow them to trade during the Movement Control Order (MCO). - NSTP/ASYRAF HAMZAHKUALA LUMPUR: Pasar malam traders in the city are taking the National Security Council (NSC) to task over its refusal to allow them to trade during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Pertubuhan Pengurusan Pasar Malam Kuala Lumpur secretary Roy James Charles accused the authorities of "double standards".
"Open-air markets were banned during the first MCO. And while City Hall communicated to us on Tuesday that NSC had rejected our appeal to open, two days later, the council announced that restaurants, food stalls and food deliveries in
MCO states can operate until 10pm.
"Where is the justice in that, when pasar malam are stalls too? We also only deal in takeaways and deliveries up to 10pm."
Charles said this was painful for traders, who were hoping for a softer stance with the organisation's appeal to change pasar malam operating hours from 1pm to 7pm.
Roy James Charles
He said it was going to be a bleak Chinese New Year for traders.
"After MCO 1.0, only 55 of the 92 pasar malam in Kuala Lumpur were operating. Prior to this MCO, most were operating at half their strength or less.
"These are traders who have no options and need the money to survive. They can't ride out the pandemic."
He said the association, which represents all 55 night markets, were flooded with complaints from traders.
"There are people who had bought goods, such as Ox T-shirts and cookies for the Lunar New Year, and who can't move them.
"What do I tell them, 'sell the items next year'?"
He said 50 per cent of the traders were aged 50 and above. Most of them were also senior citizens who had no one to depend on.
"A few have to support their children, who have become jobless due to the MCO."
He said hunger and desperation might cause some traders to open shop illegally at morning markets.
He said most of them only had the RM500 aid given to KL traders under the Wilayah Cakna Initiative (for the Bottom 40 per cent income group) that was rolled out during the first phase of the MCO.
He said the RM3,000 given under the Prihatin Special Grant and the recent RM1,000 supplementary extension were also restricted to those who had registered with the Companies Commission.

Frankie Cheah
To make matters worse, some traders were bankrupt while others were not tech-savvy.
Seri Petaling Pasar Malam Association chairman Frankie Cheah called on Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to take up their case.
"We understand the urgent need to contain the pandemic and follow the standard operation procedures (SOP).
"This ruling is, however, double standards. Times are hard, so I hope they listen to our appeals and reverse it soon.
"City Hall can attest to the fact that we have a good record of self-regulating SOP," said Cheah, who was hoping to secure a dialogue with the NSC and KL stakeholders on the issue soon.
Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman Hawkers and Traders Association chairman Azkha-lim Surad, however, said they would ride out the pandemic.
"There are not enough people coming to town now, so it's not feasible to go through the drama of restricting the number of traders and investing in a system to ensure the SOP is followed." - NST

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