Seberang Perai City Council to revoke traders’ licence if found to have tampered with barbed wires at markets

SEBERANG PERAI, May 28 — The Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) has warned traders and customers that strict action will be taken against those who vandalised and removed barbed wires that were installed around wet market complexes here.

MBSP Mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said some of the barbed wires at the Bukit Mertajam, Bagan Ajam and Tambun Indah markets have been tampered with.

“We put up the barbed wires to ensure customers and traders only use the designated entrances and exits at the complexes so that everyone who enters the premises has their temperatures and MySejahtera,” he said in a press conference after a full council meeting today.

He said some sections of the barbed wires were vandalised to open up additional entrances into the complexes.

“We will investigate and trace the culprits, we have CCTVs to track down who did this,” he said.

He said if traders were found to be the ones behind it, their licences would be revoked and their stalls or lots in the markets would be taken away. 

“We have managed to trace one trader in Bukit Mertajam market who had tampered with the barbed wire and we have issued the person a show-cause letter,” he said.

He said the trader might have his licence revoked and his lot in the market taken away. 

MBSP installed barbed wires at the side entrances of six markets in Seberang Perai as a measure to prevent customers and traders from entering the complexes without scanning their temperatures and MySejahtera which is only available at the designated entrance. 

The six markets to have barbed wire installed at its side entrances are the Kepala Batas market, Bagan Ajam market, Taman Selamat market, Taman Berjaya market, Tambun Indah market and Sri Uda market. 

Meanwhile, the hawker food and pork section of the Bagan Ajam market which was closed from May 18 to May 27 due to several Covid-19 cases reported in the section has been allowed to reopen today.

Rozali said all of the affected traders have been screened for Covid-19 and the quarantine period for the affected traders has also ended. 

However, he said there is still one trader who had failed to undergo the second swab test or to present the results of his second swab test if it was done at a private clinic.

“He was ordered to do so but failed to go for the second swab test so the trader will not be allowed to resume business at the market,” he said.

He said the city council has also issued a show-cause letter to the trader to come forward and submit his second swab test results. 

“We give him until Monday to respond and he still fails to do so, his licence will be revoked and his lot at the market will also be taken away,” he said.