Group asks MBDK to cut Deepavali bazaar fees by 85%

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, October 6, 2026

The Royal City Council of Klang is being asked by PPSK to cut Deepavali bazaar stall fees by 85% and refund fees already paid to help small traders manage rising costs. The council will review this request on October 8, following Kuala Lumpur's example of reducing fees to support vendors and boost participation during the festival.

The Royal City Council of Klang (MBDK) is being urged to reduce fees for this year’s Deepavali bazaar by 85% to ease financial pressures on small traders. Persatuan Perpaduan Sejahtera Kebangsaan (PPSK) founder and president M. Selventhiran made the request, emphasizing the need to support micro-entrepreneurs struggling with rising operational costs and inflation.

Selventhiran highlighted that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had already implemented a similar fee reduction for its Deepavali bazaar, which eased costs for vendors during the festive season. He said the move would encourage greater participation among traders in Klang and help sustain grassroots livelihoods, noting that festive bazaars also serve as cultural celebrations beyond commercial activities.

On October 5, Selventhiran and several PPSK members delivered a memorandum to Mohd Izzat Mokhtar, director of MBDK’s Licensing Department, at the council’s headquarters in Jalan Perbandaran, Klang. The group is requesting not only an 85% reduction in bazaar stall fees but also the refund of any fees already paid before the festival, which runs from October 25 to November 7.

According to Izzat, MBDK has allocated spaces for 132 traders at the Deepavali bazaar located at Lorong Tingkat, off Jalan Tengku Kelana. He outlined the current fee structure: a standard trading lot costs RM580, with an additional refundable deposit of RM300 and a RM200 cleanliness fee. Traders selling fireworks are charged RM1,500 plus a refundable RM500 deposit, while those offering balloon sales or henna drawing services pay RM190 per lot.

The council is scheduled to review the PPSK’s memorandum during a Licensing sub-committee meeting on October 8. The decision could have significant implications for traders facing economic challenges in the lead-up to the festival.

DBKL’s precedent involved reducing its Deepavali trading lot fees from RM2,626 last year to RM400 this year, breaking down to RM30 for licenses, RM150 for service charges, RM150 for site rental, and RM70 as a deposit. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh previously stated that the fee cut was intended to lessen vendors’ costs and ultimately benefit consumers by making goods more affordable during the festival.

As Klang’s traders await the outcome of the council’s deliberations, the request from PPSK underscores broader concerns about rising expenses for small businesses operating seasonal markets amid ongoing inflationary pressures.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.