KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) issues business licences strictly based on submitted applications, but some premises have been found to conduct activities beyond their approved scope, including immoral activities, once their licences are granted, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said.
“For example, if they apply for a licence to open a spa, we approve it, but activities carried out after that are beyond our control.
“That is why, at times, we discover activities that are not in line with what they applied for,” she said during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
She was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin), who asked about DBKL’s role in monitoring and controlling premises such as spas to prevent misuse, including for illicit activities.
Dr Zaliha said DBKL has implemented several measures to address the issue, including periodic monitoring of licensed premises to ensure compliance with licence conditions.
She said an integrated enforcement operation known as KL Strike Force has also been activated, involving cooperation with various agencies such as the police and the Welfare Department.
It was reported that a 59-year-old specialist doctor was among those detained during a raid on in Chow Kit health club, which was allegedly operating as a front for homosexual activities.
Meanwhile, she said rapid development and urbanisation in the Federal Territories will create increasingly challenging social competition, particularly in securing housing, job opportunities, access to public facilities and quality urban spaces.
She said the situation also has the potential to widen social gaps, create income clustering by locality and pressure existing communities as rental and daily transport costs rise.
As such, the government is implementing the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040 (PSKL2040) and the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 (PTKL2040) to address these challenges.
She said this in response to the original question from Datuk Azman Nasrudin (PN-Padang Serai) regarding the social impacts of rapid development and urbanisation in the Federal Territories on local communities, particularly regarding social competition and the rising cost of living.
– Bernama
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