THE Penampang Municipal Council (PMC) is cracking down on illegal hawkers and vendors who flout its requirements, with a total of RM400 in compounds issued over the past three weeks under the agency’s Hawkers By-Laws 1978.
A Council spokeswoman said one stall operator became RM100 poorer because his/her workers did not possess the requisite health cards.
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“Another was penalised RM300 for failing to obtain a permit from the Council,” she said.
“We came down hard on the individual because our staff had already urged him/her to apply for a permit once before.”
She said this hawker was one of eight who were found to be operating illegally during four separate checks since December 15.
“All the offenders were asked to close their stalls and remove their belongings with immediate effect.
“Leniency was shown to seven of them as this was the first time they had been caught without a permit. They were not compounded. Instead, they were given a grace-period in which to obtain a permit.”
She said follow up inspections would be made at a later date, with further action enacted against any hawker who failed to comply.
“In the worst case scenario, legal proceedings could be initiated. If the vendor is found guilty in court, he/ she risks having to settle a fine of up RM500, serve a prison-term of up to two weeks, or both.”
More than 27 stalls at seven locations around the Municipality were checked, according to the spokeswoman, with the most recent inspection carried out on Tuesday.
Among the areas scrutinised by the agency were Country Heights Plaza, Beverly Hills Plaza, Grand Millennium Plaza, Kg Bahang and Jalan Pintas Penampang, as well as the Donggongon and Koidupan townships.
The spokeswoman said a team of between three to five Enforcement officers conducted these checks.
She said, in one instance, they were joined by their peers from the Council’s Health Division.
“Attention was given to stalls selling fireworks, food, seasonal fruits and drinks.”
She was responding to feedback from a member of the public about the inconvenience which the stalls on the pavements, along Jalan Dontozidon, caused to pedestrians.
The individual said those going on foot had to be especially mindful of where they were going, lest they collide with the numerous obstructions in their way and wind 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.
The shopper related his grievance in writing to Hotline. A copy of this letter was forwarded to the agency.
The spokeswoman said an inspection was made of the common areas around the various shophouse blocks at the commercial centre, off Jalan Dontozidon, shortly after it was contacted by the media.
She said the Council’s Enforcement team failed to find anything amiss on that occasion.
“A check of our records showed that a total of 28 permits had been issued to hawkers in this area,” she said.
“During our check, only 14 stalls were noted in the area and none of these vendors were found to be operating illegally.”
She said the agency’s staff reminded each of these individuals about the Council’s requirements and briefed them on the consequences, should they be found to have contravened its By-Laws.
“We will periodically keep tabs on the goings-on in this part of the Municipality to ensure that the public are not unduly bothered by the stalls set up in the common areas between the different blocks.”
