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Traders to go ahead with night market if not compensated

KUALA LUMPUR: The group which calls itself "Bersih 4.0" will withdraw its plans to set up a night market outside the electoral reform group "Bersih 3.0" co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga's house in Bukit Damansara if traders are compensated for their losses.

In this May 10 photo, Malaysia Small and Medium-sized Entrepreneurs Alliance (IKHLAS) members holding a peaceful demonstration by having a burger stall set up in front of Bersih co-chairman Datuk Ambiga's house in Bukit Damansara. They demand that she repay their losses suffered during the Bersih 3.0 rally.

It claimed that the organisers of the Bersih rally on April 28 caused a major fracas in the city centre leaving

scores injured.

"We are ready to cancel the plan for the night market if we are given compensation for our losses," Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Council chairman Datuk Jamal Md Yunus said. "Until we are assured of that by the organisers, the plan will go on," he said, adding that the traders only wanted to recover their losses.

Jamal said the council was also contemplating seeking compensation from those charged in court for participating in the Bersih 3.0 rally.

He said they would be applying for permits from the authorities to do business at the night market there, but would still go ahead if permits were denied.

Bersih 3.0 steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah when contacted by the New Straits Times said there would be no compensation to be paid to the traders.

"The issue of compensation is not a grave concern as a lot of traders experienced a boom in their businesses on the Bersih 3.0 rally day," she said, adding that the behaviour of the Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Council was infringement of a person's privacy.

Chin said the action of the Bersih 4.0 members was pure intimidation and harassment.

"Ambiga has already had a dialogue with the burger stall operators outside her residence and there is no necessity for another dialogue."

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail said on Monday that Kuala Lumpur City Hall would not grant a permit to the group to hold a night market in front of Ambiga's house.

Fuad said the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 prohibited people from intruding into other people's territory and, therefore, the group should not proceed with its plan.

On Sunday, 60 petty traders said that they planned to open up stalls in front Ambiga's house tomorrow and Friday, with the hope of recouping losses suffered during the rally.