The Municipal Council compounded a Penampang ratepayer RM25,000 earlier this week for flouting the terms of his/ her licence by running an illegal entertainment premises at some shophouses near Taman Victory.
The agency is also cracking down on the presence of illegal hawkers at a commercial centre, off Jalan Dontozidon.
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A spokeswoman for the Council’s said a total of 27 slot machines were confiscated from the Taman Victory unit during the operation which was carried out around 7.45pm on Tuesday.
She said the proprietor was penalised for contravening the Public Entertainments Ordinance 1958.
“The individual was found to have a ‘lesen berniaga (untuk Kegunaan Pejabat) [business licence (for Office Use)]’,” she said.
“The activities which were observed being carried out inside the shop, on this occasion, had nothing to do with the nature of this licence.”
She said the business operator did not have a valid licence from the Council to run an entertainment outlet with slot machines.
“The slot machines, removed from the premises, were loaded onto one of our open trucks and taken to our store.
“They will be retained there as part of our investigation while we weigh up how best to proceed.”
She said the particulars of the shop’s staff who were present during the operation were taken down.
“They were reminded about the conditions which their employer agreed to prior to receiving his/ her licence from us.”
About 12 Enforcement personnel participated in the operation, according to her.
“We have been keeping the Taman Victory shophouses under surveillance for some time.”
The spokeswoman said the Council was monitoring the goings-on at commercial centers around the Municipality to ensure that the proprietors did not “bend” the terms of their licences.
She warned that shop operators who failed to comply with the Council’s requirements risked having legal action taken against them.
“Should they be found guilty in court, they face the possibility of having to settle a fine of up to RM50,000, serve up to one year in jail or both.”
In the case of the goings-on along Jalan Dontozidon, the spokeswoman said an inspection would be made of the common area around the various shophouse blocks at the commercial centre there.
This action was prompted by feedback from a member of the public about the inconvenience which the stalls on the pavements caused to pedestrians.
The individual said those going on foot had to be especially mindful of where they were going, lest they collided with the numerous obstructions in their way and wound up injuring themselves.
He wanted to know if the hawkers had sought the permission of the local authorities prior to operating their stalls on the five-foot-ways and common areas between the different blocks there.
He related his grievance in writing to Hotline. A copy of this letter was forwarded to the Council.
The spokeswoman said any hawkers operating illegally risked being slapped with a compound for as much as RM500, under the agency’s Hawkers By-laws 1978.
“They will initially be asked to stop their vending activities till they obtain a valid licence,” she said.
“Those who defy our instructions face the possibility of being charged in court. If found guilty, they may be required to settle a fine of up RM500, serve a prison-term of up to two weeks, or both.”
