Canopy fee casts gloom over KL night market traders

Kuala Lumpur lawmakers today demanded that City Hall abolish the canopy fee that was recently imposed on traders at night markets.

Over 100 traders, led by Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, gathered outside City Hall this morning to submit a memorandum objecting to the imposed fees.

“We wanted to meet with the mayor and Licensing and Petty Trader Management Department director Ibrahim Yusoff, but as they were attending a meeting, we handed the memorandum over to a representative.

“The representative will relay the traders’ message, which is that they should not have to pay for the canopy,” said Nurul, adding that City Hall needed to respond with an explanation on why the fees were imposed, instead of subsidies or discounts on the fees for the traders.

Nurul said City Hall should have informed the MPs before introducing the fee.

“I only found out about it when I visited a night market in Kerinchi, where I was informed by the traders,” she said.

She said the fee was an added burden on the traders in a time of rising costs of goods.

Tan said City Hall should not have stocked up on the canopies and auxiliary equipment.

“I am told that City Hall has already spent RM5.9 million on these canopies, and now they are force selling it to the traders. This should not be; they cannot tie it together with the licensing fee and make the traders pay,” he said.

Persatuan Bergerak Kuala Lumpur chairman Lim Suai Chai said the traders had no choice but to pay for the canopy if they wished to renew their licence.

“They are forcing it on us. If we want to renew the licence, we will have to pay for the canopy as well. How can they do this?” he said.

Cheras trader Charles James Roy said the fee did not make sense as not every trader needed a canopy.

“There are those of us who use cars or trucks or even motorcycles. And we already have invested in our own canopies and tables, which will have to go to waste if we are forced to use City Hall’s ” he said.

The canopy fee was introduced under City Hall’s new programme to upgrade the night markets on January 1.

The canopy, measuring 2m by 2m, is bundled in a set that includes tables, table covers and aprons. Traders in wet goods are charged RM243 for the set and traders in dry goods, RM227.25. These are 50% discounted rates.