SHAH ALAM, May 25 — The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has been urged to relook fees imposed on petty traders in the city, as many hawkers and market vendors struggle to cope with rising operating costs.
MBPJ Zone 7 councillor Leong Chee Cheng said feedback from market traders showed widespread concern that business is slowing while expenses keep rising.
“They are not only competing with restaurants anymore; they are also competing with online platforms.
“Although individual rental and cleanliness charges may appear low on paper, the cumulative burden on traders is becoming more apparent as many operate multiple stalls across several locations,” he said during an MBPJ meeting aired live on Facebook today.
Leong added that traders are required to pay rent for the year upfront, which puts more strain on small businesses already operating on thin margins, while these traders also require separate licences for individual lots in the same trading area.
“Local authorities should reconsider existing policies and charges in light of the increasingly difficult business environment faced by grassroots traders,” he urged.
Leong said it is misleading to assume that all hawkers are financially stable based on the visible success of some traders, and called it a form of “survivorship bias”.
“We only see the traders who survive and continue operating. We do not see those who quietly shut down and disappear,” he cautioned.
He also called for markets and hawker centres to remain community-oriented instead of being privatised if they become less viable, with underutilised markets repurposed into food courts or other community-friendly commercial spaces.
“These spaces are part of the soul of the city… They are where ordinary people build livelihoods and preserve their dignity,” Leong said.
