Latest news with #smalltraders
Free Malaysia Today
23-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Johor govt to engage local councils on unused MyKiosks
The MyKiosk units are a national initiative by the housing and local government ministry. (Bernama pic) ISKANDAR PUTERI : The Johor government will convene a meeting with all 10 local authorities to address the high number of unutilised MyKiosk units in the state. State housing and local government committee chairman Jafni Shukor said the meeting was necessary to come up with solutions and ensure that the initiative to support small traders continues to thrive. 'Before these kiosks existed, many single mothers, single fathers, and poor families were eager to start a business. Some were even evicted from their trading spots. 'Many traders are struggling, so I've directed that the kiosks be rent-free for the first six months. In my view, this is a good initiative as they provide legitimate spaces for many who previously lacked licences. 'Single parents and others now have a proper place to operate,' he said during the Johor legislative assembly sitting in Kota Iskandar today. He was responding to an additional question from Gan Peck Cheng (PH–Penggaram) on the status of the MyKiosk initiative. The Bukit Permai assemblyman said a brainstorming session would be held with all 10 local councils to come up with creative approaches to revitalise the kiosks and support small traders. 'When I visited some of these kiosks, traders told me there's no water supply. They're relying on solar power and don't even have proper set-ups to cook food. 'Can we relocate the idle kiosks to better spots and ensure that they have access to water and other facilities? We want these kiosks to truly benefit the people, so we need to place them in strategic locations. 'If needed, we can arrange skills training for traders. The point is, if we're going to help people, we can't do it halfway,' he added. The MyKiosk units are a national initiative by the housing and local government ministry. Lately, social media posts had highlighted the number of units that were empty or abandoned, largely due to inconsistent participation by traders.
Free Malaysia Today
22-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Ministry voluntarily hands over MyKiosk files to MACC amid graft claims
The housing and local government ministry said it voluntarily handed over the documents to MACC to show the public that everything was done transparently and by the book. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : The housing and local government ministry has voluntarily submitted documents related to the MyKiosk project to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission following allegations of irregularities in its implementation. The ministry said all relevant documents were handed over to show the public that everything was done transparently and by the book, despite the lack of a formal request from MACC. 'This act reflects the ministry's strong commitment to improving governance systems and adhering to the principles of good administration. 'The ministry also wants to ensure that there is no abuse of power or misappropriation in the MyKiosk programme, which is intended to benefit small traders,' it said in a statement today. The documents were submitted by local government department director-general Fadzli Kenali, accompanied by ministry officials. According to the ministry, all procurement and contractor appointments were conducted through open quotation by 133 local authorities nationwide, resulting in the selection of 795 contractors. The ceiling cost for each MyKiosk 2.0 unit was RM25,000, which the ministry described as reasonable and reflective of fair competition among bidders. 'All allocations for MyKiosk have been listed under the budget and submitted to the finance ministry in accordance with established procedures,' it said. The ministry also noted that making false or misleading statements to MACC officers is a criminal offence under Section 27(1) of the MACC Act, punishable by up to RM100,000 in fines, 10 years in prison, or both. Yesterday, Selangor MCA Youth filed a complaint with the anti-graft agency calling for an investigation into the project's funding and execution. Minister Nga Kor Ming has dismissed allegations that the initiative is a white elephant, calling the claims baseless. He also ordered the local government department to trace a TikTok user accused of spreading false information and defamatory videos about the MyKiosk project on social media. The MyKiosk initiative by the housing and local government ministry aims to provide the B40 group and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises with standardised, safe, and affordable trading spaces for rent. As of December 2024, a total of 7,243 MyKiosk units had been approved across 133 local councils nationwide, benefitting more than 7,000 families.
