KMA slammed for exploiting Ramadan stall owners
Susan LoonePublished: Aug 9, 2010 11:54 AM | Updated: Aug 9, 2010 4:40 PM
The Pakatan Rakyat Youth wing has come out speedily to defend the DAP-led Penang government over allegations by Malay traders that it was practising favouritism and racism in preventing them from operating their Ramadan stalls in Komtar.
The Pakatan Rakyat Youth wing has come out speedily to defend the DAP-led Penang government over allegations by Malay traders that it was practising favouritism and racism in preventing them from operating their Ramadan stalls in Komtar.
At a press conference this afternoon, Pakatan Youth vice-chief Mohd Rizal Abdul Hamid alleged that the Komtar Merchants Association (KMA), which led a demonstration at Komtar today, was trying to exploit the Malay traders.
According to Mohd Rizal, KMA had planned to only pay the Penang Development Corporation, which manages the building, a total sum of RM5,000 for rental of the premises for the Ramadan stalls, although the fee was stipulated to be RM50 per stall per day, totalling RM47,250.
“Since the KMA collected RM60 per day from each trader, ultimately they will earn RM56,700 (27 traders x RM60 x 35 days), which is a lot,” he alleged.
In other words, KMA is allegedly collecting an excess of RM9,450 over what they are being charged, in addition to retaining all but RM5,000 of the money collected from the traders.
‘Practice only benefits KMA’
Pakatan Youth secretary and Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik said such a practice was just benefitting KMA, who is acting as the middleman, while the traders continued to be exploited.
"Do not just emphasise on profits, this is not the way to take care of their members,” said Ng to KMA vice-president Mohamed Ghani Abdul Jiman.
“This is why PDC proposed the rental fee of RM50 per day, where KMA can still make a profit. Income generated by the state will still return to the people,” he added.
Ng, who is in charge of the Komtar Restoration Committee, claimed the annual Bazar Ramadan was previously managed by an Umno crony company.
“However, since the contract expired, the PDC gave it to KMA instead,” he added.
Pakatan Youth chief Syed Mikael added that stalls at the Bazar Ramadan had to be limited, as too many of them would cause congestion on the 3rd floor of the Komtar building.
“He said the state had received complaints from civil servants and shop owners about the congestion, as the space is small, and they are also concerned about security,” he said.
“The Penang government would never chase away the Malay traders. We will always defend those who carry on their business with proper licences,” he added.
‘Not told to pay up’
Meanwhile, Mohamed Ghani is furious that the PDC has ‘twisted’ the issue.
He dismissed the allegations that KMA had not settled the rental fees for the stalls although the association had reportedly collected the money from the traders.
He said he had been dealing with the traders and the PDC for 12 years, and usually the latter issues an approval for the stalls to run their businesses before collecting payment.
But now that the state government has changed (from BN to Pakatan Rakyat), the state is creating problems for the traders, he said.
“It has always been the practice that we pay at the end of the month, not before they assume business. If the regulations have changed, we must be informed in time, at the earliest, and not at the latest date,” he fumed.
“We are not a company that we can release the cash immediately. We have to go back to our members and the traders to tell them about the latest developments,” he added.
Mohamed Ghani (right) also claimed that during a PDC-KMA meeting on Aug 5, the state government had agreed to 27 traders and not only 10, as stated by its senior manager Mohamed Bazid Abdul Kahar.
“And we were only told about the payment at 6.45pm on Aug 6, which is already too late for us to get any feedback from the traders,” he added.
Earlier this morning 27 traders, led by KMA, held a small demonstration outside the state government office on level 3 at the Komtar building to protest at not being able to run their stalls at the bazaar when Ramadan begins the day tomorrow.
State Umno Youth economic bureau chairperson Aziaan Ariffin had also accused the DAP government of racism.
Mohd Bazid said the group was informed about the number of traders allowed at the bazaar, and the rental fees to be paid, before they started their businesses.
At a press conference this afternoon, Pakatan Youth vice-chief Mohd Rizal Abdul Hamid alleged that the Komtar Merchants Association (KMA), which led a demonstration at Komtar today, was trying to exploit the Malay traders.
According to Mohd Rizal, KMA had planned to only pay the Penang Development Corporation, which manages the building, a total sum of RM5,000 for rental of the premises for the Ramadan stalls, although the fee was stipulated to be RM50 per stall per day, totalling RM47,250.“Since the KMA collected RM60 per day from each trader, ultimately they will earn RM56,700 (27 traders x RM60 x 35 days), which is a lot,” he alleged.
In other words, KMA is allegedly collecting an excess of RM9,450 over what they are being charged, in addition to retaining all but RM5,000 of the money collected from the traders.
‘Practice only benefits KMA’
Pakatan Youth secretary and Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik said such a practice was just benefitting KMA, who is acting as the middleman, while the traders continued to be exploited.
"Do not just emphasise on profits, this is not the way to take care of their members,” said Ng to KMA vice-president Mohamed Ghani Abdul Jiman.“This is why PDC proposed the rental fee of RM50 per day, where KMA can still make a profit. Income generated by the state will still return to the people,” he added.
Ng, who is in charge of the Komtar Restoration Committee, claimed the annual Bazar Ramadan was previously managed by an Umno crony company.
“However, since the contract expired, the PDC gave it to KMA instead,” he added.
Pakatan Youth chief Syed Mikael added that stalls at the Bazar Ramadan had to be limited, as too many of them would cause congestion on the 3rd floor of the Komtar building.
“He said the state had received complaints from civil servants and shop owners about the congestion, as the space is small, and they are also concerned about security,” he said.
“The Penang government would never chase away the Malay traders. We will always defend those who carry on their business with proper licences,” he added.
‘Not told to pay up’
Meanwhile, Mohamed Ghani is furious that the PDC has ‘twisted’ the issue.
He dismissed the allegations that KMA had not settled the rental fees for the stalls although the association had reportedly collected the money from the traders.
He said he had been dealing with the traders and the PDC for 12 years, and usually the latter issues an approval for the stalls to run their businesses before collecting payment.
But now that the state government has changed (from BN to Pakatan Rakyat), the state is creating problems for the traders, he said.
“It has always been the practice that we pay at the end of the month, not before they assume business. If the regulations have changed, we must be informed in time, at the earliest, and not at the latest date,” he fumed.
“We are not a company that we can release the cash immediately. We have to go back to our members and the traders to tell them about the latest developments,” he added.Mohamed Ghani (right) also claimed that during a PDC-KMA meeting on Aug 5, the state government had agreed to 27 traders and not only 10, as stated by its senior manager Mohamed Bazid Abdul Kahar.
“And we were only told about the payment at 6.45pm on Aug 6, which is already too late for us to get any feedback from the traders,” he added.
Earlier this morning 27 traders, led by KMA, held a small demonstration outside the state government office on level 3 at the Komtar building to protest at not being able to run their stalls at the bazaar when Ramadan begins the day tomorrow.
State Umno Youth economic bureau chairperson Aziaan Ariffin had also accused the DAP government of racism.
Mohd Bazid said the group was informed about the number of traders allowed at the bazaar, and the rental fees to be paid, before they started their businesses.
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