KUANTAN: Street hawkers who took the state capital by storm over the past week by selling mango pickles with sour plum or better known as ‘Pelam Asam boi’ at traffic light intersections are now crying foul.
Just when business was picking up, enforcement officers from the Kuantan Municipal Council (MPK) seized their wares.
Trader Noorashidah Aman Shah said she along with her part-time assistants sold about 200 bottles of pickles a day for the past few weeks until the MPK crack down on Sunday.
The 36-year-old who travels daily from Kuala Terengganu to Kuantan to sell the pickled fruits said MPK should have let her off with a warning instead of seizing her products.
"The enforcement officers told me to pay a fine at the MPK headquarters. I am saddened because the mango pickles which were taken away are not suitable to be stored in room temperature, I suffered losses as a consequence.
"I hope the council will be lenient with me as most of my part-time assistants are youths including school leavers who want to make extra money," she told the New Straits Times.
Noorashidah said she had already paid the fine and is waiting for MPK's approval for her licence to resume her business.
"I only paid the fine and did not take the seized items including empty containers as I am required to pay extra charges to MPK in order to take back my things," she said.
Prior to the operation by MPK Noorashidah used to process and pack the mango pickles daily at her premises in Kuala Terengganu.
She would then travel to Kemaman and Jertih in Terengganu, and here, to sell them at traffic light intersections.
Young boys could be spotted at major traffic light junctions during peak hours offering the pickled fruits in bottles which are sold at RM10 each.
The recipe which include green mangoes and apples with sour plum sprinkled with chili and salt has proven to be a craze among youngsters and the elderly.
Meanwhile, MPK's public relations officer Norkamawati Kamal said the council received many complaints from motorists prompting them to take action against the street hawkers.
She said many road users were concerned over the safety of the peddlers who could be spotted manoeuvring through the traffic with their wares hoping to promote to potential customers.
"MPK has previously warned the traders to find a suitable spot to sell their products as doing business at traffic light junctions are dangerous and disturbs other road users.
"We will continue with the enforcement if such problems persist and will confiscate the goods from traders who ignore our warnings and continue to do business on the road," she said.
She added that those found operating businesses without licenses had violated the council's Hawkers and Stalls Licence Act and could be be compounded RM250.