MBSP To Tighten Full Ban On School-fence Traders From 2027

BUKIT MERTAJAM, June 25 (Bernama) -- The Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) will begin full enforcement of a ban on all trading activities within 40 metres of school fences across the district starting next year to safeguard student safety, ease traffic congestion and uphold food hygiene standards.

MBSP Mayor Datuk Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid confirmed that the measure is consistent with the Guidelines for Trading Outside School Fences issued by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT).

"The enforcement comes in direct response to mounting complaints from schools and parents over vendors operating just outside school gates, particularly concerning the sale of junk food, poor hygiene practices and risks to children's safety," he said during a press conference at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Baru Perda today.

While full enforcement kicks off in January, the council is taking a phased approach for the remainder of this year, prioritising public education, advocacy and voluntary compliance. Legal action will only be pursued against vendors who remain defiant after the grace period ends, he added.

The council's early measures include putting up no-trading signs around school perimeters, distributing information leaflets to hawkers, holding dialogue sessions with schools and local communities, and stepping up routine patrols by enforcement and environmental health officers.

Baderul Amin said MBSP has also rolled out a vendor-tracking permit, or "tagging" system, to better record, identify and manage trading activities in approved locations, especially once the ban is fully in force.

So far, 554 traders have signed up under the scheme, with 194 having completed the registration process. Yet that figure represents just a fraction of the estimated 1,800 unlicensed vendors currently operating across Seberang Perai.

"The tagging system, priced at RM60 per month, is designed to help vendors operate more orderly within designated zones while facilitating monitoring by authorities," he said.

He pointed out that Seberang Perai has 241 schools, with an average of 10 vendors plying their trade around each school. However, determining the exact number is tricky, as most operate on an irregular basis.

He stressed that MBSP's approach is not about enforcement alone. The goal, rather, is to strike a balance of protecting vendors' livelihoods while ensuring that school surroundings remain safe, clean and conducive for students.

-- BERNAMA