Over 26,000 business licences revoked since 2022 for breach of terms, Dewan Rakyat told

KUALA LUMPUR: Local authorities nationwide revoked 26,108 business licences from 2022 up to Feb 15 this year, says Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.

He told the Dewan Rakyat that this is because the licence holders had breached the local authorities’ conditions.

Of that number, 384 licences were revoked because the holders had “rented” the permits to foreigners.

In a written reply on Wednesday (Feb 28), Nga said local authorities had carried out 1,836 enforcement operations on business premises involving foreigners.

Under their respective hawker by-laws, local authorities did not allow foreigners to work as hawkers or petty traders, Nga added.

He said that under by-laws governing trades, businesses and industries, business licences are only issued to Malaysians, and foreigners may only work as employees or helpers provided they have a valid work pass or trade permit.

“Local authorities will not (hesitate to act) if their conditions are violated.

“Strict action will be taken against implicated businesses and licence holders through seizing the premises, issuing compound notices, closing the premises altogether or revoking the licence,” he said in reply to Datuk Suhaimi Nasir (BN-Libaran).

Suhaimi had asked about the ministry’s efforts in tackling the misuse of premises or licences issued by local authorities by renting them out to foreigners.

Meanwhile, Federal Territories Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said some 2,475 offences under the hawker licensing by-laws were recorded throughout last year, involving unlicensed petty traders.

During the same period, 2,717 seizures were made involving petty trade activities run by foreigners, while 1,581 seizures involved unlicensed activities by locals.

“Enforcement officers are stationed (throughout) Kuala Lumpur to carry out daily patrols and monitoring.

“Kuala Lumpur City Hall, together with the Royal Malaysia Police and Immigration Department, are (carrying out joint) operations,” she said in a written reply to Onn Abu Bakar (PH-Batu Pahat), who asked about the number of illegal stores in Kuala Lumpur and steps taken to address the issue.