OPPOSITION MPs in Kuala Lumpur today welcomed Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa’s initiative to make the capital city a free-trading area for six months to help its residents overcome economic hardship.

However, they said the new policy should not be abused and that health and safety aspects must not be ignored.

“We welcome the FT minister’s enthusiasm in being business-friendly and providing trading opportunities for those in need, especially in such trying times.

“However, the FT minister must ensure that this new policy is not abused and that it does not contribute further to the perennial problems of cleanliness and congestion in the city.

“Safety must also be a paramount consideration in the implementation of this policy,” they said in a joint statement.

On Tuesday, Annuar had said that city folk keen to conduct a trade on a small scale, such as opening a food stall, can do so at any suitable location starting Sunday.

He said they must apply for a temporary six-month business permit free of charge on the Kuala Lumpur City Hall website.

With the Covid-19 pandemic still causing many hardship, the MPs also urged the licences to be given for other businesses besides hawkers.

“The pandemic has also forced the closure of more than 30,000 SMEs nationwide. To be business-friendly, the FT minister should be streamlining licence applications not just for hawkers but other businesses,” they said.

They added that it has been more than a fortnight since their last statement calling for a meeting with Annuar, but said they have yet to hear from him.

“It has been 16 days since our last statement and the FT minister has yet to call for a meeting with all Kuala Lumpur MPs. This meeting we want to have with him is important for the planning and spending of City Hall’s 2021 budget, which will have a major impact on the welfare and well-being of Kuala Lumpur folk.”

On October 27, the lawmakers had said that, since Annuar took office in March, he has yet to call them for a single meeting.

They also urged him to reinstate the Ministers’ Council (Majlis Menteri) that was established by his predecessor, Khalid Samad.

The nine MPs who signed the statement are Tan Kok Wai (Cheras), Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang), Teresa Kok (Seputeh), Tan Yee Kew (Wangsa Maju), Lim Lip Eng (Kepong), Fahmi Fadzil (Lembah Pantai), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa), P. Prabakaran (Batu) and Hannah Yeoh (Segambut). – November 12, 2020.