KUALA LUMPUR: Traders in Brickfields claim that the three-month enforcement crackdown on illegals, vice and illegal parking has affected their business.

According to the New Generation Party secretary-general and founder S. Gobi Krishnan, many of the business owners in Brickfields have aired their grouses to the party, especially on loss of customers following the multi enforcement agency crackdown that started on Sept 18.

“Customers are said to be shying away after cars parked by the roadsides or double parked in Little India were towed away or fined by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL),” he said at a press conference, here, today.

Gobi said although he understands it is illegal to park on the roadsides of the main street, due to the lack of carpark facilities in Brickfields the authorities have to be reasonable.

He added that the crackdown was also seen as harassing legitimate businesses in the area.

This is because legitimate businesses are being visited frequently by different authorities such as DBKL, police and customs to check on their licenses and operations even though they had been checked before.

He claimed that during the clean up operations, the vice dens and and unlicensed bars are surprisingly shuttered, probably being tipped off by gambling syndicates.

“As soon as the enforcement officers leave, all the illegitimate business in Brickfields will be back and operate as usual. So the real people who suffer are the legitimate ones,” he said.

The three-month enforcement crackdown called “Total Enforcement Pilot Project” was launched by the Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department on Sept 18.

The sweep involves 18 government agencies including DBKL, Immigration, Customs, National Anti Drugs Agency and Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD). – Bernama