MPS advised to stop the blame game

The Star, 30 May 2008
THE Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) should do its job and come up with a solution instead of blaming residents or hawkers at the wet market at Jalan BRP7/2, Subang MP R. Sivarasa said.
He added that the MPS should not heighten the existing tension between the two parties.
According to him, some traders had blamed the residents for complaining about them to the MPS. However, the residents said they were looking out for the best interests of the community and had asked for the traders to be relocated to a more suitable location.
“If MPS has already identified a permanent site for the traders, it should make the proper decision. The relocation is not an issue but a lack of transparency in the process is,” Sivarasa said.
He was speaking after meeting with a group of traders from the morning market as well as representatives from the residents’ association.
The traders, who had been trading at the site for the past four years, had staged a peaceful protest against the decision to relocate them.
Last year, MPS had given the traders’ notice of the relocation to a site some 1km away.
The traders claimed that the developer of the new site had asked them to contribute towards construction cost.
They also alleged that they were required to pay RM1,500 per trading bay in addition to rental and utility bills.
At a meeting on May 14, it was decided that the traders’ temporary business permits, which expire on June 21, would not be renewed.
Sivarasa said he would be meeting the MPS president to find out its stand on the issue, adding that MPS had a responsibility to resolve the issue.
“We will try and get MPS to allow the traders to continue at the present site until a decision has been made.
“We are still waiting for the new councillors line-up and MPS is expected to hold its first full board meeting at the end of next month,” he added.
Sivarasa also questioned the background of the developer of the new site and said he would refer the matter to the Anti-Corruption Agency if necessary