KUCHING: A ruling prohibiting trading along roadsides, walkways, car parks and five-foot ways in areas under Kota Samarahan Municipal Council, which took effect on Jan 1 this year, is well-observed except for one isolated case.
According to MPKS chairman Datuk Peter Minos, one recalcitrant group (without permission or permit from MPKS) put up a permanent structure over an MPKS car park, did intensive renovations and ran a coffee shop.
He said MPKS had called up the group for explanation but received no response.
“They did not turn up, which is intolerable and totally unacceptable,” he said.
Minos said MPKS now “will be forced to do something” about it, but he did not elaborate.
“Imagine if the local residents and traders in a local authority area deliberately break all the basic municipal rules over public health, safety and proper living,” he said.
“There would be total chaos and a big mess, making the town or city not livable because it’s unclean, unsafe and unsightly.”
Minos said MPKS had warned against trading at certain places especially roadsides as that would be bad for public safety.
On a separate issue, Minos said the public were doing themselves a really big favour by throwing their waste into bins instead of along roadsides, drains and other open spaces.
All local councils want this good habit imbued among the people, he said.
