Roadside stalls are part and parcel of the Malaysian food scene. Nothing beats a good packet of pisang goreng or keropok lekor (or any other delicious food) from the roadside makcik/pakcik/uncle/aunty when you have the muchies.
It seems, however, that such stalls might disappear from our streets as soon as 2020, at least when it comes to Kuala Lumpur (KL). According to a report by Berita Harian, the Federal Territories (FT) Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor says that all roadside traders will be moved elsewhere or will need to operate from food trucks by 2020.
That’s not all, the food traders will also not be allowed to cook by the roadside and instead will have to cook the food elsewhere before selling them at the premises provided. The Ministry isn’t just kicking all these traders out though. The actual plan, according to Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan, is to upgrade these roadside traders into becoming food truck vendors.
The Ministry isn’t just kicking all these traders out though. The actual plan, according to Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan, is to upgrade these roadside traders into becoming food truck vendors.
According to him, most of these vendors are not illegal but have licenses and the new system is designed to allow them to operate at premises provided by the ministry while helping them in their businesses.
They will even provide assistance for a smoother process, including providing a grant worth RM10,000 by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
While it’s commendable that this initiative will both help the traders affected and clean up the streets of KL, it is a little sad that something that’s part of our everyday food culture might someday disappear.
So what do you think of the ministry’s plans?
*Image source: Wikipedia from Gossipguy
