KUALA LUMPUR – Food prices at Ramadan bazaars under Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) should be lower than other locations, as rental rates are kept very low.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Dr Zaliha Mustafa, said that DBKL is imposing a charge of RM500 for Ramadan bazaar lots, which includes a RM200 deposit that will be refunded if there are no violations of licensing conditions.
“This means that each trader only needs to pay around RM300 for a Ramadan bazaar lot.
“The price of food at Ramadan bazaars should be lower than usual or compared to other locations because we have already provided trading spaces at a very low rental rate,” she said after a media briefing on Kuala Lumpur Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaars today.
The event was also attended by KL Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
According to Zaliha, DBKL is also working with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry to ensure that prices at the Ramadan bazaars remain lower than those in other locations.
This year, a total of 42 Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaar sites, comprising 3,567 lots, have been allocated to traders within DBKL’s jurisdiction.
Out of this total, 40 sites are designated for Ramadan bazaars, which will begin operating this Sunday, while the remaining two are for Aidilfitri bazaars.
A rental fee of RM500 is charged for Ramadan bazaar lots, while the fee for Aidilfitri bazaar lots is set at RM2,700.
When asked about the issue of Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaar licences being resold, Zaliha said she had not received any complaints so far.
If such cases arise, she emphasised that strict action, including licence cancellation and blacklisting, will be taken. Enforcement officers on duty will also ensure that licence holders remain at their designated lots at all times.
“So far, we have not received any complaints from any party regarding the reselling of licences, and monitoring is carried out 24 hours a day. This is a clear indication that we take this matter seriously, and over 600 personnel have been deployed across all Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaars.
“For licence holders and those renting lots, we will revoke their licences and blacklist them. This serves as a stern warning because we want to ensure the success of this initiative and support small traders.”
Early last month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim directed DBKL to revoke any Ramadan bazaar licences found to have been transferred to third parties.
Anwar stressed that the issue of licence transfers is a governance matter that must be prioritised and requires stricter enforcement.
In October last year, DBKL took over the management of 65 bazaars in the capital, which were previously handled by various associations responsible for rental collection and lot allocations. – February 26, 2025