CITY HALL officers are keeping an eye out for illegal stalls along a main road in the Kepayan area, with the operators risking a compound of up to RM500 under its Hawkers By-laws 1966 (Amendment 2008).
In extreme cases, their wares and other belongings could be confiscated, according to a spokesman for the agency’s Licencing Department with the wrongdoers having to settle an additional fee of RM300 in order to reclaim these items.
He said three unlicensed vendors were nabbed on the verge in the Kopungit area, off Jalan Pintas, over the past four months.
A total of RM1,700 in compounds was issued to these individuals, according to him.
“A hawker, selling drinks, was compounded RM100 and ordered to close his/ her stall with immediate effect,” he said.
“Two durian-sellers were earlier slapped with RM800 each in penalties. The pair had their fruits and canopies, as well as chairs and tables seized by a joint team of Licensing and Enforcement officers.”
City Hall’s action was prompted by feedback about the traffic hazards posed by their stalls, as well as their customers’ vehicles.
A rate-payer, living in the Kepayan Ridge area, said the former structures made it difficult for drivers to make a U-turn at the section of Jalan Pintas near his neighbourhood.
In the case of the automobiles parked haphazardly in the vicinity of the stalls, he said, they created an unnecessary congestion on the road as motorists had to slow down to go round these obstructions.
He said there had been instances where lorries had stopped in one of the two lanes on the stretch just to replenish the stock of durians being sold at these stalls
He was under the impression that road-users might be spared all this inconvenience – not to mention be put at ease, safety wise – if only the agency was doing more to clampdown on the hawking activities taking place along the busy stretch.
The spokesman denied claims that City Hall had ignored activities along Jalan Pintas, stating that the road had been inspected three times since the matter was raised by the media.
He said, according to its records, checks were made on 13 March, 26 Feb and 13 January.
“We have compounded errant hawkers caught here and confiscated their goods on multiple occasions previously. However, the wrong-doers don’t seem to be getting the message.”
He said the Licensing Department was facing an up-hill task dealing with these individuals.
“We close them down, but these vendors are back to their old tricks a day or two later, after our staff has left. They open their stalls after office hours, till as late as 1 or 2am, and even on Saturdays and Sundays, when our personnel are off duty.”
The spokesman warned that legal action could be taken against repeat offenders, with a fine for as much as RM5,000 served to them if they were found guilty in court.
“This is the worst case scenario. However, we are presently looking into a less extreme alternative.
“We are planning to have the durian-sellers shifted enmasse [‘secara berkelompok’] away from road-shoulders around our rating-area to more suitable venues.”
He said this matter was raised during one of the agency’s more recent management meetings.
“We are in the process of putting together a list of possible sites where the hawkers might be relocated. One idea under consideration is to move these hawkers to the towns nearby, where commercial activities are taking place.”
