KANGAR, May 14 — The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) will not hesitate to take action, such as revoking the retail business licences of individuals who sell or lease their business licences especially in border towns.
The irresponsible actions of some locals who sell or ‘rent’ their business licences to foreigners is not only harmful to the country but also deprived others of a living just for the sake of easy profit.
KPDNHEP secretary-general (sec-gen) Azman Mohd Yusof said his team took a serious view of the matter as it (matter) was raised by local traders in border towns in Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis following an influx of foreign traders after the recent reopening of the Malaysia-Thailand border.
“For local traders who sell or rent their business licences to foreigners, the revocation of their operating licences can be implemented by local authorities,” he said when contacted by Bernama recently.
Azman said the government only allowed foreigners holding category one and category two employment passes to open businesses in the country.
He said category one employment pass referred to those earning a salary of RM10,000 and above whereas category two was for a salary of RM5,000 and above.
“The guidelines for foreign participation in the trade and distribution sector in Malaysia have also listed down that foreigners are not allowed to open grocery stores, stalls, and other small businesses that fall under the negative list,” he said.
“If there are foreigners opening unauthorised businesses, the government has the right to revoke their business licences and KPDHEP has the power to act in such a way if it finds that the owner of the premises is a foreigner,” he said.
Azman said to curb the matter, KPDNHEP is cooperating with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government as the latter is the ministry that regulates local authorities in issuing business licences.
“With this cooperation, it is hoped that no foreign traders are allowed to open small retail businesses in their areas,” he said.
He said KPDNHEP also collaborated with the Immigration Department to assist the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) in screening business applications by foreigners.
“The screening is done to ensure that foreigners are only in permitted business fields in the country,” he also said.
Azman added that KPDHEP always welcomes public complaints on foreigners in retail businesses in their areas, and such complaints at the state level can be channelled to the respective KPDNHEP state offices.
