By Karen Bong
KUCHING, June 28: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng has issued a stern warning to successful applicants of the upcoming Kuching Festival Food Fair 2025, cautioning that those found subletting their stalls at high prices will be blacklisted and replaced.
Amid public concern over social media advertisements offering stalls for rent at inflated rates, Wee stressed that MBKS will conduct checks on every food stall—daily, not just on opening day—to verify that the stall operators match the names and photos submitted in the original applications.
“We’ve seen two or three such ads already. If we find anyone operating a stall who is not the actual applicant, we will revoke their approval and replace them immediately. There are many others eager for a stall—we don’t need this kind of dishonesty,” he said during his ShallWeeTalk Facebook live session today.
He reiterated that MBKS has prioritised transparency and fairness in the selection process, with a public ballot draw witnessed by journalists to dispel any allegations of favouritism or manipulation.
“We even let the media witness the draw to ensure fairness. We didn’t even know which reporters were coming—they were not connected to us in any way,” he said, adding that the council had initially considered livestreaming the process but it was too lengthy and that media presence was sufficient to ensure transparency.
Wee also addressed criticisms from previous stallholders who were not selected this year, explaining that the high number of applicants—far exceeding previous years—necessitated a stricter selection and draw process.
However, he said proposals that were notably creative or innovative were given priority consideration.
“If you’ve got something unique that we’ve never seen before, we’ll consider you first. Creative and innovative food concepts are what we value most,” he said.
To prevent identity misuse, Wee said all successful applicants had submitted photos along with their application forms and will be required to be physically present for the full 24-day festival.
“We’ve even set up a special committee to catch those who try to switch what they’re selling or who’s running the stall. If anyone tries to swap in another person or change their menu without permission, we’ll act,” he added.
Members of the public with information on stall reselling or non-compliance are encouraged to report directly to MBKS via 010-6601919.
“I believe the public feels the same way—that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable. We want this festival to reflect fairness, creativity, and quality,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
