Illegal traders at Taman OUG market urged to apply for licence

KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is calling on all unlicensed traders at Taman Overseas Union Garden (OUG) morning market to apply for business licences.

Those with business licences but without a designated rental lot at the market may be allocated one soon, as DBKL is in the midst of restructuring market operations.

DBKL licensing and business development deputy director I Naquib Hamdan said there were 242 vacant lots.

Based on a survey by DBKL and the newly set-up association of market traders, Persatuan Kebajikan Usahawan OUG Kuala Lumpur, Naquib said there were 525 trading lots and 283 licensed traders.

“Since DBKL only allows one lot per licence, there should be 242 vacant lots but there is none on site.

“The vacant lots have been taken up illegally and it was learnt that some lots were also shared by a few traders.

“Since there are vacant lots, we want to legalise all unlicensed traders and allow them to rent lots of their own,” he said at the town hall session between DBKL and market traders at Dewan MCA Seputeh.

“The trading lots will be determine by drawing lots, to be fair to all.”

Over 100 traders from Taman OUG morning market turned up at the town hall session.

Some were unhappy that Persatuan Kebajikan Usahawan OUG Kuala Lumpur was representing them and with it being given the right to manage the market.

Naquib said the association’s committee members had been elected fairly through an election in September, which was witnessed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

He said the association was the one that DBKL recognised as representing the morning market traders.

“If the traders are not happy with the committee members, they can be voted out.

“If any trader refuses to deal with the committee members for whatever reason, they can also deal with DBKL directly in writing,” he said.

Naquib appealed to all traders to cooperate with DBKL to resolve the market restructuring issue and other matters amicably.