| Rokiah Mahmud |
THE Municipal Department is planning to open up new trading areas for small and medium enterprise (SME) activities, while also taking safety, environment and time factors into consideration, said Minister of Home Affairs Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong yesterday. He made these comments during the 15th Legislative Council (LegCo) session.
The minister was responding to a question from member of the LegCo Yang Berhormat Naim bin Haji Kamis on whether the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) had any plans to establish proper trading areas for SMEs.
Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar also added, “In Bandar Seri Begawan, business activities are carried out during Bandarku Ceria on Sundays, from 6am to 10am. The Kuala Belait and Seria Municipal Department has also given space for small and medium enterprises to conduct their businesses every now and then, at the Tudung Saji market and during the KBku Ceria activities, including bicycle rentals.”
He then alluded to a new location at Jalan Roberts that has been open for business activities since February 21, along with food truck tenders currently on offer for the Bandar Seri Begawan area.
“Apart from that, the ministry will continue to monitor the type of businesses being carried out, including bicycle and motor-vehicle rentals,” he said. “The Municipal Department only allows the rental of bicycles and motor-vehicles during Bandarku Ceria, under certain terms and conditions, hence it is not permitted to conduct any rental trade beyond that.”
