Kota Kinabalu: Luyang Assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe defended the RM550 Foh Sang CNY night market stall fees vendors have to pay for three days when Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) only collects RM20 per day or RM60 for the entire event.
He claimed there was no profit motive and that the fees were necessary to sustain the event at the standard they had set.
According to him, the total cost of organising the event exceeded RM120,000, while stall fees only contributed RM60,000, with the remainder met by government allocations.
“We cannot expect everything to be free, nor can the government fund everything,” Phoong said.
“Demand and supply determine prices. Vendors profit from the large crowds. Organisers reinvest funds into promotion, decorations, and event costs. This is a state government event and follows market principles.”
He was responding to Warisan Kota Kinabalu Information Chief Samuel Wong, who questioned why stall operators had to pay a community centre rather than directly remit the fees to DBKK.
“A body seems to be acting as a middleman to reap off the rakyat’s hard-earned money by renting out stalls for as high as RM550 for three days at Foh Sang,” Wong said.
He demanded answers on who had authorised the community centre to set the rental fee, the nature of its relationship with DBKK and whether it was making a profit using DBKK’s resources.
Phoong said since taking office in 2018, his mission had been to revitalise Foh Sang, making it a more vibrant and attractive.
He said that the concept of extending the Chinese New Year night market over multiple days, complete with standardised tent setups, live stage performances, branding efforts, and festive decorations were to create a livelier atmosphere that would benefit vendors.
He said the RM550 stall fee covered tents, lighting, sound systems, lion dance performances, volunteer allowances and traffic management, among other things.
“Vendors no longer need to drive into Foh Sang to set up their tents. This system is especially beneficial for part-time vendors, elderly stall owners and young female entrepreneurs, as they can simply bring their cooking equipment and start selling,” Phoong said.
He pointed out that at the Kaamatan Night Market at KDCA, stall operators pay over RM1,000 per day through a bidding system and there are no complaints.
Wong visited the Luyang People’s Service Centre (Pusat Khidmat Rakyat Luyang) and posted the video on Facebook. In the footage, he could be seen questioning the staff about the fee structure. Instead of receiving a clear response, some individuals became visibly agitated.
They insisted that those unhappy with the charges should come to the centre themselves to inquire about the matter. Wong argued that he was representing these people and asking legitimate questions.
“Where does the rest of the money go?” Wong demanded to know and not getting any answer. Except that the additional charges went towards ‘management’, decoration and other expenses.
Wong has since taken the matter to DBKK for further clarification and is expected to issue a press statement on Thursday.
