By Zareef Muzammil
SUBANG JAYA, May 14 — The Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ) will continue to issue temporary business licences to small traders until the end of the year.
Its mayor Dato’ Johary Anuar said the move is to help those who were hit by the pandemic recover during the transition to endemic phase.
“Our focus is to ensure that the economic growth (of the traders) under the purview of MBSJ runs smoothly.
“In support of the local traders, we will facilitate them by issuing the licences. They can approach us so we can help identify the areas where they can operate their businesses,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after a Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house at the MBSJ headquarters here, yesterday, Johary expressed his confidence that the economy of the local traders would be able to improve.
“We are now in the transition to endemic phase. As a local council, we will help stimulate the economy of the local traders.
“We are aware that in the past two years a lot of the businesses were affected. However, we foresee that the economy in the Subang Jaya area would grow successfully,” he said.
On February 21, state executive councillor for local government Ng Sze Han said that the state government had issued more than 10,000 temporary licences to traders affected by Covid-19.
The state administration had on December 17 last year extended the period of temporary license issuance to the small traders for another six months until June this year. The initiative was initially scheduled to end in December last year.
Selangor’s local authorities, starting with the Shah Alam City Council, had issued temporary permits to unlicensed traders begging August last year in a move to help those in the low-income groups (B40) to generate an income and stimulate economic growth.