Foreign hawkers still rampant at KL markets despite ban
A check by the New Straits Times found that nearly half of the stalls at both markets were manned by foreigners, mainly from Bangladesh, Indonesia and Myanmar.
A butcher in Chow Kit, who has been trading since 1975, said foreign hawkers managed to operate by renting licences from locals.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said: "When the authorities come, the foreign hawkers run off and the licence holder takes over the stall to avoid getting caught or fined."
It is learnt that some foreigners also sell live chickens and slaughter them on demand, which is a banned practice in the market.
The butcher also said locals were often more demanding than foreigners, which contributed to the latter's growing presence.
"I once hired a local worker, but he demanded extra pay and accommodation. Before leaving, he stole some money and my motorcycle," he claimed.
"Foreigners won't do that, they work purely to earn," he added.
At Pudu Market, many foreigners, particularly Bangladeshis, were still seen operating stalls as late as 1pm.
A woman, who has worked there since 1995, said the number of foreign traders surged after the Covid-19 pandemic.
"In the early 2000s, there were only two or three of them. After the pandemic, they started coming in large numbers," she said, preferring anonymity.
She said their presence had affected local hawkers' business, as they drew customers by allegedly selling vegetables at cheaper prices.
"They cheat during weighing. After it's done, they remove about 200g of the original amount, and that's not a small quantity," she claimed.
Yesterday, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif said the long-standing ban on foreign hawkers and market traders in the city remained firmly enforced.
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