RAWANG: Senior hawkers are crying foul over the 65-year-old age limit set by the Selayang Municipal Council to rent a stall in the Rawang wet market.

Many of them are upset, questioning if the government is prepared to take care of their livelihood.

It is learned that the Selayang Municipal Council requested hawkers at the Rawang wet market to sign an agreement on renting the stalls three years ago.

The council is believed to have done so to curb the subletting of stalls.

Recently, some of the hawkers discovered a clause stating the age limit from 21 to 65 in the agreement, as the agreements of those exceeding the age limit would be terminated and not allowed to be renewed.

Unable to rent the stalls, the hawkers have also been told to return their business licenses.

Some hawkers who were out to deliver goods or top up supplies were also interpreted as flouting the regulation for letting family members man their stalls.

Their agreements have also been terminated by the council.

These hawkers are asking: “Is the government prepared to take care of our lives as senior citizens?”

Ng, the chairman of Rawang Modern Market Association, confirmed that several senior hawkers who exceeded the age limit were unable to lease the stalls.

“The association is unable to revoke the agreement signed by the hawkers. We can only help compile the cases to submit to the elected representatives for help,” said Ng.

The ground floor of the wet market has more than 300 stalls and the number of hawkers affected by the age limit is believed to be increasing, said Ng.

Hawkers claimed that they received calls or being threatened to sign the agreement by the council officers.

Some even resorted to using yellow tape to cordon off the stalls to create panic that one might not get to rent the stall without signing the agreement.

Hawkers also claimed that they were not allowed to read the content of the agreement.

They said among the unfair terms stated in the agreement are:

• Hawkers are to be interviewed by the council every two years
• Hawkers have to re-apply for their stalls every ten years
• Hawkers must furnish a written explanation for shutting down more than three days.

One of the affected hawkers is florist Lin Li Shui, 66, whose stall agreement has been terminated and he can only operate until 31 December this year.

“I was asked to go for an interview by the council in a letter dated 31 July. During the interview, an officer told me I could no longer rent the stall as I had reached the age limit.

“But in another letter dated 9 August, the council said my agreement was terminated because I did not comply with the terms of the agreement to operate the stall myself,” said Lin, whose daughter is helping him.

The council also stated in the letter that if he did not clear the stall, the council would clear it on his behalf without notice.

Lin, an illiterate, said he paid someone to write a letter to be submitted to the council on 15 August.

However, he was told that he had to take a sworn statement for the explanation.

Lin subsequently looked for a commissioner of oath in Selayang to do so before returning to the council.

Despite all the efforts, his explanations were rejected and Lin had to seek help from Rawang assemblyman Chua Wei Kiat to help him write a letter.

He said he had yet to hear from the council after sending the letter with a stamp from the Rawang state assemblyman service center on 22 August.

He has since spent several hundred ringgits on Grab as each trip from Rawang to the Selayang Council costs him RM50.

“I still can work and I want to work so that I will not increase my children’s financial burden,” said Lin.

Wang Ya Di, a 70-year-old vegetable hawker, said she started selling vegetables at the age of 21 and was never an Employees’ Provident Fund member.

“I may be old but I am still healthy. Why can’t I earn a living myself?” she asked.

A 72-year-old fishmonger said senior citizens were still required to live.

Cai Jun Ying is against the unreasonable policy of not allowing senior citizens to sell at the market.

Chua said he would meet the council officers to find out more details to help the hawkers.