KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has allocated RM200 million under the Sustainable Business @ Kuala Lumpur 2026 Programme to redevelop and improve hawker facilities at 287 locations in the capital.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said the large-scale initiative would benefit more than 11,000 small traders and hawkers to ensure they can operate in a safer, more organised and conducive environment.
He said DBKL always takes a fair approach by considering the views of all stakeholders including residents, traders and building tenants in implementing the relocation and upgrading of hawker area programmes.
“This year, DBKL will implement this program in many locations. In the issue of placement of small traders, DBKL needs to consider various voices including residents who want smooth traffic, traders and building tenants to conduct business.
“We have to be fair to all parties because each of them has their own views on the appropriate location,” he told reporters after inspecting the hawker facilities upgrade project near UTC Sentul here today.
Also present were Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud and Batu Member of Parliament P. Prabakaran.
Regarding the project to upgrade hawker facilities at UTC Sentul which went viral on social media recently, Hannah said she understood that DBKL had conducted an engagement session and implemented the redevelopment concept after taking into account all the feedback received.
He said the renovation work on the existing structure was not aimed at driving away traders, but rather to rebuild 20 new, more comfortable modular kiosk units at a cost of RM1.6 million, which began on June 15 with completion expected before October.
Meanwhile, Fadlun said that to ease the burden of 20 active traders who were affected during the construction period, DBKL was for the first time introducing special assistance of RM1,500 per month.
He said the direct financial assistance approach was more efficient than providing temporary sites which not only cost a lot, but were sometimes less strategic and affected the number of customers compared to the original location.
Fadlun said that after UTC Sentul, the simultaneous upgrading project using the approach of providing special incentives will continue in several other locations including Jalan Dato Senu, Pudu Ulu and Bandar Tun Razak.
Regarding the Lestari Niaga programme, Fadlun said the total allocation of RM200 million involved various categories of hawkers under the supervision of DBKL in stages, with the initial phase focusing on 224 locations.
“Of the total number involved, more than 4,000 are roadside hawkers while another 5,000 traders operate under the Mayor’s assets and the remaining approximately 1,000 are in the re-application category,” he said.
— BERNAMA
