BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

RAMADHAN food vendors at Jalan 18 of Kg Rimba National Housing Scheme (RPN) Zone 2 are urged to move their stalls to an open space provided by the authority at Jalan 24 due to health and safety issues.

Mohamad Hj Kabon, the village head of RPN Kg Rimba Zone 2, said that the 17 food vendors along Jalan 18 are exposed to health and safety risks in the area.

Speaking to The Brunei Times, the village head emphasised on the importance of serving food and drinks which are free from contamination and diseases.

“Sand debris could enter into the food and drinks. Furthermore, there are moving cars on the roads. It is not safe for parents and children to cross the roads,” said Mohamad.

In addition, he said, some of the vendors operating at Jalan 18 are not authorised to sell their food and drinks as they do not pay any rental fees to set up their stalls.

“There are six vendors who have paid $60 a month to rent stalls at Jalan 24, whereas the vendors along Jalan 18 do not pay anything. For me, this is unfair,” he said.

He urged the street vendors to comply with the laws and regulations set by the relevant authorities such as the Housing Development Department, Public Works Department and Brunei-Muara District Office.

Mohamad said he had met and discussed with some of the vendors in the past to persuade them to move their operations to Jalan 24.

“However, some of the vendors refused to move out because they have already been conducting business along the roads for many years,” he added, and called for authorities to be strict in enforcing the law and talk to the vendors for the health and safety of the customers.

An official from the Brunei-Muara District Office, who opted for anonymity, said there are law enforcements making inspections at the area to ensure the food and drinks served are safe.

One of the vendors on Jalan 18, who only wished to be known as Hj Shah, said that business has been good for him because the location is convenient for his customers.

“Most customers just parked their cars along the road and called out their orders,” he said.

Hj Shah said he was never approached by enforcement personnel in the past six years he had set up his Ramadhan stall there.

“It is only for the fasting month. It is just one month and we will be gone after that,” he said.

The Brunei Times