KUALA LUMPUR: City Hall should not use the support letter issued by Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun as an excuse to explain its approval for the 80 new Ramadan bazaar lots in Masjid India, said Masjid India Business Owners Association president Datuk Ameer Mydin.

Commenting on the Ramadan bazaar fiasco involving Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Youth leader Mohd Noorhisyam Abd Karim, Ameer said City Hall should take responsibility for approving the lots.

The scandal erupted after Mohd Noor­hisyam was accused of misusing political connections to secure the bazaar lots for RM6,238.40.

He allegedly rented them out for as high as RM5,000 a lot through middlemen.

DAP’s Fong was also implicated but the latter clarified that he only issued a support letter for Mohd Noorhisyam.

“Politicians always give support letters for every Tom, Dick and Harry,” said Ameer, adding that the bazaar had not only created a mess but had also posed a fire hazard.

“All the open cooking being done by the traders in front of the shoplots, can you imagine if one gas cylinder were to go off? Where is the Fire and Rescue Department’s role in all this?” Ameer asked.

The association, he added, had been complaining for the past decade that the Ramadan bazaar should not be held along Jalan Masjid India.

“Last year, there was an emergency and the ambulance was called but it could not enter the area. Do we want to wait till someone dies?” asked Ameer.

Aside from fights between City Hall enforcement officers and traders similar to a recent episode in Klang, Ameer said the issue of sub­letting was also another problem for the area.

“Some of the lots, instead of going to traders who actually need it, are sublet to shop­owners instead.

“Now DBKL goes and approves the 80 extra lots, and people are also opening up everywhere on the road,” said Ameer.

National Patriots Association (Patriot) pre­si­dent Brig-Jen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji called for a thorough investigation into the Ramadan bazaar scandal, describing it as the “first red mark” on the Pakatan Harapan government.

“A scandal is still a scandal, however trivial, and must be investigated with the full vigour of the law,” Bernama quoted him in a statement.

He said action should be taken against any guilty party if Pakatan wanted to continue enjoying the full confidence and respect of the people.

Mohamed Arshad, who is part of the five-­member Institutional Reforms Committee set up by the Council of Eminent Persons, said he hoped that there would be no repeat of such cheating under Pakatan’s watch.