KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur City Hall is investigating claims on manipulative individuals or agents who call themselves "Ayahanda" for monopolising and exerting tight control over Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaar sites.
A spokesperson from Kuala Lumpur City Hall's corporate planning and media department unit said that there were two places under their jurisdiction and purview which are the Aidilfitri Bazaar at Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR) and the Ramadan Bazaarat the Taman Tasik Permaisuri car park in Bandar Tun Razak.
According to City Hall, the Rahmah Bazaar at Lot 4 @ Lorong TAR and Jalan Gereja, Dataran Merdeka are being run and managed by an association.
Apart from this, the Bazaar Ramadan at 63 other locations are also being run and managed by associations.
Previously, it was reported that there have been individuals or agents known as "Ayahanda" who are amassing layers and layers of profits by selling Ramadan and Aidilfitri Bazaar lots.
They take control of the Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaar sites managed by local authorities (PBT) in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya which are then sold to third parties at exorbitantly high prices.
The spokesperson said that to address such a problem, efforts had been taken such as providing special forms to declare rate charges and the number of traders in the area that one managed to make things much easier when it comes to checks and monitoring.
"The payment rate imposed for bazaars under City Hall is RM980 for Ramadan Bazaar and RM1,980 for the Aidilfitri Bazaar.
"The payment rate includes the licence fee, cleaning services charges, plot rental and supply of canopy that are given to the traders."
If rules and regulations are flouted for locations under City Hall, then action in the form of compounds will be issued.
"And if there are 'sublet' cases or reselling of lots, plots then the traders will be blacklisted.
"For cases involving breaching of rules that are under the associations, then action in the form of deductions for the deposit and compounds will also be taken," said the spokesperson.
KL City Hall is also open to proposals to further improve the quality of services rendered to city dwellers and folks.
"The proposal or idea to blacklist individuals, associations that breach or flout rules and regulations as well as misuse and misappropriation the approval to organise has already been implemented.
"However, monitoring and checks are carried out from time to time so that no one is burdened with additional costs because of misconduct by irresponsible individuals and associations."