Traders doing business along Jalan Masjid India and Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman in the heart of Kuala Lumpur are finding it difficult having to share business space due to the clash of festivals, Deepavali and Hari Raya Aidilfitri .

The Indian traders had cried foul when Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) allocated only 66 out of 556 temporary trading lots to them, with the balance going to Malay traders.

Members of the Indian Petty Traders Association trading in the area aired their grievances and frustrations to malaysiakini this morning over the system imposed by DBKL.

"First of all, they have given us an unfairly small number of lots, then they place all traders together, not separating the Indians and Malays. This makes it difficult for business because customers will not know where to locate us," said trader J Chandran.

Another trader, seasoned businessman RA Bala said it was not a racial or religious issue but he took DBKL to task for their "blatant disregard of fair play".

Distinctive aroma

"I've been trading here for the past eight years and this is the first time we have such a big problem," he said.

"Some traders are having problems selling their Hindu religious items when they were given lots close to Malays traders".

A Malay trader told malaysiakini that items sold at the Indian lots has a distinctive aroma and many traders were very unhappy about the arrangement.

"I don't agree with DBKL in grouping us together. We can't even move from our lots or we'll be fined. The lot number is the same as on our temporary licence," said the Malay trader, who did not wish to be identified.

Meanwhile, Bala and Chandran claimed that out of 800 lots available, only 550 have been allocated while 250 lots seemed to be have gone to 'VIPs".

They alleged that these 'VIP traders' were people with connections with DBKL and that their lots were reserved and not open for casting of lots as was the practice.

Space in Brickfields

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Mohmad Shaid Mohd Taufek has been reported as saying the allocation of only 12 percent of the lots to Indians was made after considering factors like the race's smaller population in the country.

Space was provided by DBKL in Jalan Sentul, Brickfields and Lebuh Ampang for 200 Indian traders who were not given allocations in Masjid India.

However the traders have yet to start business in Brickfields because they claimed that DBKL has not prepared the trading lots for them there while business proprietors from Brickfields had already set up their stalls.

The DBKL representative in-charge of petty traders, Hassan Ali, could not be reached for comments as he was on leave over the past two days.

The temporary licence for the traders is valid from Oct 12 to Nov 13. Deepavali is celebrated on Nov 11 while Hari Raya Aidilfitri is expected to fall on Nov 15 and 16.