FEDERAL TERRITORIES WILL NOT ISSUE TRADING LICENCE TO FOREIGNERS

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- Foreign nationals will not be issued licence
to trade in the Federal Territories, said Federal Territories and Wellbeing
Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.

He said this was to secure a sustainable source of income for local hawkers
and petty traders.

"If licences were given to foreigners, I am sure 100 per cent of the hawker
areas would be controlled by them," he told reporters after opening the Green
Cities: Putrajaya Urban International Conference 2010 here Tuesday.

Raja Nong Chik said the ministry would not emulate the liberalised system
implemented in Selangor where even red identity card holders were given trading
licence.

Currently, he noted, the number of foreigners hired to work at hawker
centres
and operating their own stalls -- whether illegally or on local hawker's
licence -- was balanced.

Raja Nong Chik was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin
Yassin's remark Monday, instructing local authorities to take stern action
against foreigners found trading in the country.

He said all hawkers and petty traders in the Federal Territories, especially
Kuala Lumpur, would be licensed and coordinated soon.

"It cannot be done now as many city-dwellers depend on petty trading as
their source of income. Some of them even have stalls built near their own
homes, instead hawker areas," he noted.

Meanwhile, the minister said some local traders at markets had requested to
hire foreign workers to do heavy chores.

Hence, he said a consortium would be established to manage foreign workers
at markets, as was being practised in wholesale markets.

"With the consortium in place, the recruitment of foreign workers in the
country will be placed under control," added Raja Nong Chik.

-- BERNAMA