Who took my cheese away?

Some small traders operating around North Klang bus pickup points are upset over recent policies that could harm their income.

In North Klang, there are only six bus stops while the local council has barred people from utilising the already existing full-fledged bus station.

A local newspaper reported that multi-million ringgit development projects are planned around the station. PKNS purportedly wants to build a multi-storey shopping complex, in place of the 30-year-old hawker centre along Solok Pasar Bahru. However, elected representatives and NGOs were kept in the dark as the council refuses to divulge any details.

What is behind barring the public from the bus station and the sudden demolishing of taxis stands despite directives against it from the Selangor menteri besar’s office?

A survey done by Kapar MP S Manikavasagam and local council members found that most businesses might suffer a 40-50 percent revenue loss from the bus station’s closure and taxi stand demolishing.

Many questions remain unanswered:
a) Why is PKNS so keen on the plot of land that they are willing to swap it with another parcel located in Port Klang?

b) Why is the Klang municipal council scrapping plans to rebuild the hawker centre and focusing on what might be a white horse – a multi-storey shopping centre?

c) Why can’t the council insist on a new building for the food court, enabling the hawkers to continue their businesses?

d) How is PKNS forecasting millions of ringgit in rent from the new shopping centre when the current Plaza MPK mall only fetches RM1.20 per square foot or less?

e) Why can’t they just upgrade Plaza MPK or give it a facelift?

Video by S Arikrishnan , Citizen Journalist