KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) today announced a 50 per cent reduction in rental rates for hawker sites and selected premises under its supervision, effective from April 1 until December 31, 2027.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said the initiative is expected to benefit more than 10,000 hawker sites and small business premises owned by DBKL in the federal capital.
She said the move aims to help reduce operating cost pressures faced by hawkers and micro-traders, particularly amid increasing cost of living driven by global economic uncertainties, including rising world oil prices and logistics costs.
“This initiative places DBKL among the first local authorities in Malaysia to implement a comprehensive rental reduction on a large scale to help small traders and urban residents cope with the cost-of-living pressures,” she said at a press conference here today.
Also present were Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Fadlun Mak Ujud and Bandar Tun Razak MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Hannah said the reduction in rental costs is expected to have a positive impact on residents in the capital who purchase food and daily necessities, thereby helping to ease household expenses.
“I hope initiatives like this will be well-received by hawkers. I also urge those who have rental arrears to take advantage of this two-year initiative to settle their outstanding payments, as we cannot wait indefinitely given the high demand for such sites."
Meanwhile, Fadlun said the reduction involves an overall 50 per cent cut, with the minimum rental rate set at RM50 per month.
“For premises with rental rates of RM50 and below, the rental rate will remain unchanged without any reduction,” he said, adding that tenants must first settle any existing arrears before they are eligible to benefit from the incentive.
At the same time, he said DBKL will continue to monitor cost-of-living developments and take proactive measures to ensure Kuala Lumpur remains an inclusive and resilient city that prioritises the welfare of its residents.
