With only about two weeks left to Deepavali, some 40 Brickfields petty
traders today took to Putrajaya in a last ditch attempt to have their
traditional festive bazaar site for the last eight years restored.
Converging outside the Prime Minister's Department under
the scorching afternoon sun, the traders unfurled banners and chanted slogans,
appealing for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to intervene in the
matter.
The protest comes after weeks of negotiations with the Federal
Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry failed to yield results.
The
traders are upset that their Deepavali bazaar site had been moved from Jalan Tun
Sambathan - the main Brickfields thoroughfare - to the inner street Jalan
Berhala, which they say has adversely affected their business.
"There is
only about two weeks left before the bazaar ends. Business in the new area is
very bad.
“I will not be able to recoup my investment if they don't let
us move back," said a frustrated garments trader Joseph Nathan.
He added that some traders had insisted on setting up their bazaar at the old
site but had their tents confiscated by Kuala Lumpur City Hall
(DBKL).
"Don't steal our things," they chanted while others held up
placards that targeted Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Raja
Nong Chik (
left) and his deputy M Saravanan.
Among the placards
read: "The festivities of Deepavali has faded because of the minister and deputy
minister" and "The minister and deputy minister had said that our
people-friendly prime minister has no time for the rakyat's problem, is this
true?".
Some of the traders also brought along the garments that they
sell while others displayed their business licenses during the hour-long
protest.
'Traders want status
quo'Later, the group's representatives submitted a memorandum to
duty officer at the Prime Minister's Department and were promised that it will
be conveyed to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's special officer for Indian
affairs P Ravin.
Aside from relocation, the traders also are demanding for
the status quo be restored for the granting of bazaar lots through local traders
association instead of going directly to DBKL, a practice for the last nine
years in Brickfields and 23 years in Masjid India.
According to Joseph,
the relocation was imposed after safety and congestion complaints by permanent
shops along Jalan Tun Sambathan and local associations for the
blind.
However, after the controversy broke, he said the complainants had
withdrawn their petition which affected some 120 traders in
Brickfields.
Proving this, PKR activist for Indian affairs S Jayathas
produced a letter by the Malaysian Association for the Blind, which showed that
it was supportive of the bazaar as long as the traders took care not to obstruct
activities of the blind.
"We hope by 10am tomorrow we can get an
explanation, we want the prime minister to pressure the Federal Territories and
Urban Wellbeing Ministry to solve this matter.
"There is only two weeks left, some traders have even taken
loans from loan sharks for the bazaar. How can they pay back if they can't make
their profit?" he said.
Jayathas (
left) also questioned the RM50
million allocation for Indian entrepreneurs under Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha
Niaga (Tekun) announced in Budget 2013.
"Some of the traders had applied
for the fund but were told to go through MIC, why is there a need for this?"
said the former activist of Hindraf's political arm Human Rights
Party.
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