DBKL claims market ban on foreigners, refugees to curb ‘illegal’ resales to Rohingya, Myanmar communities

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — A ban restricting foreigners and refugees from entering and patronising the Kuala Lumpur Wholesale Market was implemented to avoid them from illegally reselling the supplies to other foreigners, said the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) today.

In an attempt to justify the ban even against those with valid United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards, DBKL insisted that the community can still buy their daily necessities from nearby markets and sundry shops.

“Sales of goods in the wholesale market are for traders only and UNHCR cardholders are not traders,” its Corporate Planning Department said in a statement.

“UNHCR cardholders are also not allowed to make purchases in bulk because there are fears that they will abuse this opportunity by selling it illegally somewhere else either to anyone interested or to the Rohingya and Myanmar communities.”

The statement did not explain how this would curb any illegal sale by locals, nor explain how such sales can be “illegal” beyond explaining that UNHCR cardholders are not allowed to run any businesses during their stay here.

DBKL also claimed that records showed 12 raids against UNHCR cardholders who were caught for running illegal businesses around the vicinity of the wholesale market during the period of the movement control order (MCO) and recovery MCO.

DBKL said one another reason such a position had been taken was also due to the wholesale market formerly being a Covid-19 infection cluster, where tracing established the source of infection had come from a foreign national.

This they said was done to ensure the market can continue to operate without interruptions or closures, as it is the pulse to the business activities in and around the capital.

“Such control over foreigners entering the KL wholesale market is to repel the public perception that it is controlled by foreigners.

“Only licensees and workers with valid license passes or work passes will be allowed to enter the KL wholesale market to ensure that the wholesale market is free from foreigners,” it said.

This after an announcement from DBKL was issued on Friday banning the foreigners and refugees from entering the market.

The notice also said that foreigners are only allowed into the market if they have a valid permit and are accompanied by a Malaysian.

Recently, authorities had raided the market as well as its vicinity which led to the arrests of hundreds of undocumented migrants, including Rohingya refugees. Foreigners made up around 90 per cent of the market workers.

The market located in Selayang was also temporarily closed for four days in April to disinfect the premises and screen the workers after it was identified as a Covid-19 cluster where 28 people were infected and a 36-year-old Myanmar man had died.

On June 18, Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said that there are still undocumented migrants trading in the vicinity of the market, but there are none within the premises itself.