Klang: A total of 702 out of 1,280 seizure actions recorded by the Royal Klang City Council (MBDK) last year involved foreigners, with the group accounting for the highest number of cases in the council's seizure operations.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, of the 702 cases, 507 involved the seizure of business premises owned or operated by foreigners, while the remaining 195 involved seizures from foreign hawkers. The enforcement actions targeted offences, including operating a business without a licence, causing obstruction in public places, erecting premises or structures without permission, and misusing licences or violating licensing conditions set by the local authority.
For offences related to the misuse of licences or violation of licence conditions, the Licensing Department will issue a notice of intention to revoke the licence to the owners involved. Licence holders are then given a seven-day period to submit an appeal or feedback before any further action is taken, MBDK told Bernama. MBDK added that the statistics reflect its ongoing commitment to strengthening enforcement against foreign-owned premises and hawkers to ensure compliance with laws and licensing conditions in its area.
On Monday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ordered various ministries and agencies to take firm and comprehensive action to curb illegal business activities carried out by foreigners, as well as the abuse of visas and local business licences. Anwar said the government was aware of the threat posed by a segment of foreigners who entered the country on visitor or tourist visas but instead carried out business activities, including in the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Association (G3PM) Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman said strict action must be taken by local authorities (PBT) against foreigners alleged to have abused tourist or student visas to run businesses in the country. He claimed that the presence of foreign traders from various countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, India, and Indonesia, as well as from the Rohingya community, was increasingly dominating several business hotspots, including the Pudu Market and Selayang Market.
He said the situation not only affected the income of local traders but also created an imbalance in competition within the small-business sector. "We hope the business and petty trading sector remains exclusively for locals so that it is not continuously dominated or controlled by foreigners," he said. Rosli also suggested that monitoring and enforcement be enhanced in hotspot areas to curb foreigners' involvement in illegal business activities.