KUALA LUMPUR: The government’s MyKiosk initiative has helped some small traders more than triple their income, according to Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu.
During a question-and-answer session in the Senate, Senator Datuk Abdul Halim Suleiman asked what measures were being taken to address vacant kiosks, noting that many in his constituency were unused and had become “white elephants”.
Aiman Athirah said while efforts were ongoing to ensure the kiosks were fully occupied and operational, there were success stories nationwide, with some traders paying as little as RM1 a month or even enjoying rent-free units.
She said a fried chicken trader in Melaka saw monthly income rise from RM8,000 to RM30,000. In Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, a takoyaki seller’s monthly income increased from RM3,500 to RM6,000.
A soy drink trader in Perlis doubled earnings from RM9,000 to RM18,000, while a coffee seller in Kedah now makes RM5,000 compared to RM2,000 previously. In Taman Titiwangsa, Kelantan, a burger seller’s monthly income jumped from RM3,500 to RM9,500.
She added that while improvements were still needed, occupancy data showed encouraging progress.
The MyKiosk project recently came under scrutiny after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) launched an investigation into alleged corruption and misappropriation involving the tender process.
However, the investigation later concluded that no criminal elements were found in its probe into the MyKiosk construction tender by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
The MyKiosk initiative, introduced as MyKiosk 1.0 in 2022 with a cost of RM15,000 per unit, recorded an occupancy rate of 84.35 per cent. MyKiosk 2.0, which was rolled out in January this year, had an occupancy rate of 61.5 per cent as of May. The ministry previously said contractor selection and kiosk placement were managed by local authorities through an open quotation process, with each authority overseeing kiosk quality and location based on local needs.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
