SIBU, March 7: Dudong assemblyman Dato Sri Tiong King Sing has called on the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) to refrain from suspending the businesses of vendors involved in physical altercations at the Central Market.
Instead, he urges cooperation with the police to resolve disputes among them.
Describing the SMC Market and Petty Traders Standing Committee’s decision to suspend hawkers involved in a physical fight recently, for two weeks to a month as “overkill” and “tantamount to an abuse of power”, Tiong said he vehemently opposed it.
He held that the police should enforce the relevant legal provisions instead of allowing the city council to act as “vigilantes to punish and extend its power to innocent grassroots vendors”, as such a harsh decision may lead to further misunderstanding and cause public panic.
He claimed that he had received many complaints from those who believed that SMC’s decision was simply “unkind and draconian”.
To him, suspension of businesses for up to a month without issuing a warning letter is not an effective way to solve the pending issue.
“How can the vendors who rely on daily business income be able to make a living to survive (if their businesses are suspended)? The only source of income for the entire family is abruptly cut off due to SMC’s decision,” said Tiong, who is also Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister in a statement.
He said he would rope in Sibu District Police Chief ACP Zulkifli Suhaili and request for more law enforcement in each market across Sibu to monitor and maintain order.
“At the same time, the city council’s officers in charge of the market and vendors should actively go to the grassroots to hear their voices and demands. I believe that through friendly negotiations between various parties, a safe and harmonious market environment can be created,” said Tiong.
Tiong who is also Bintulu MP, expressed hope that vendors across Sibu would stop resorting to physical fights to resolve the tension arises from business competition but respect the unwritten rules of “fair competition” and improve their own stalls to increase their competitiveness.
The recent physical altercation between two vendors at Sibu Central Market had prompted SMC’s Market and Petty Traders Standing Committee to suspend the businesses of those involved in fights across its markets for two weeks to a month.
Meanwhile, Tiong also expressed disagreement over SMC Market and Petty Traders Standing Committee’s proposal to terminate the licences of those aged 65 and above and instead, suggested that the licences of these elderly vendors be handled down to their children should they be interested in taking over. — DayakDaily
