Abuse of the roadside stall licence

PETALING JAYA (July 20): Some roadside stall operators, armed with temporary licences, and support letters from politicians, have been found to have overstepped their bounds, reports The Star. 

Renovating their roadside locations into full-blown restaurants, selling or subletting such stalls to a third party, encroaching onto public five-foot ways and pavements, and placing gas tanks in potentially dangerous areas, the legality of these operations have come under question.  

These proprietors also sidestep the usual taxations on businesses, such signboards, premises and grease traps.

Examples of these instances are numerous, reported The Star. An extended stall in Brickfields has taken over motorcycle barriers along the side lane. A stall in Jalan Tun Sambanthan has, operating on a temporary licence from DBKL, grown into a 24-hour operation with a television, fans, sinks and makeshift kitchen. 

A corner stall in Taman United, Jalan Klang Lama, has gas tanks along its edges, an LED sign board, teflon roof, a kitchen with grilles, built-in sink, wall fans, television sets with Astro channels and piped water as well as electricity supply. 

Extensive renovation has extended to tiling the adjoining walkway to match the establishment, and a grill that blocks part of the pavement has been installed. 

The temporary six-month licence, issued by DBKL allows for stalls to operate along sidewalks, as long as pedestrian traffic is not hindered, and the operators comply with DBKL rules. 

Speaking to the daily, an anonymous senior health officer from DBKL, said that DBKL did not want to “over-regulate” roadside stalls because “they are poor people trying to make a living.”

Political interference was also a factor, the officer admitted. 

“They come with endorsement letters from politicians so we give them a location and charge them a minimum fee with the condition that they keep the site clean and run an honest business,” he said.

“We have in the past acted on public complaints, but each time there would be one politician or another who would intervene and ask us to back down.”

According to The Star, DBKL Licensing and Petty Traders Development Department director Anwar Mohd Zain said that as there were clear violations of multiple rules, a team would be sent to investigate.