The nation's imitation capital Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur - fondly referred to as PS Boutique - is proving to be a challenge to authorities.

This is because the traders keep changing and they are operating under big capital syndicates, revealed Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry's enforcement division deputy director-general (operations) Iskandar Halim Sulaiman.

Various operations against the traders had been carried out but there has been no impact, he lamented.

"If today we conduct an operation and seize their goods, other persons will run the same business tomorrow and this will continue because the syndicates can supply them the goods anytime they require," he told Bernama .

Iskandar said the ministry had been firm in its action not only on the petty traders but had also raided premises used as storage of the goods.

"Last year alone, more than RM1 million worth of imitation goods were seized from Petaling Street," he said.

Among them were clothes, leather goods, wrist watches, spectacles, shoes and optical discs and most of them, particularly clothes and leather goods, were from China, he said.

"But, it's difficult for us to say all imitation goods came from China because many multinational companies have production facilities in China that offer low production costs.

"Therefore, cooperation from brand owners is required to identify whether Chinese goods that entered Malaysia are imitation or genuine," he added.

High demand

Iskandar said another reason why imitation goods could easily be found in the market was because the demand was there among locals and foreign tourists.

"The prices were probably quite high for locals but for tourists, they were cheap because of the exchange rate. Besides, the traders will put the prices high because they know the customers will surely bargain for discounts up to 50 percent," he added.

Despite all these, efforts to clean up Petaling Street of imitation goods were continuing with the collaboration of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Iskandar said.

An integrated support was also needed from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and political parties if the objective were to be achieved, he said.

"Surveillance and operations will continue and one day, Petaling Street will have a new image," he said.

Apart from Petaling Street, imitation goods are also being sold at Plaza Low Yat, Sungai Wang Plaza and Jalan Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur; Penang Road, Komtar and Batu Feringgi in Penang; and Holiday Plaza Inn in Johor Baharu

Iskandar said 99 percent of the imitation goods in the country were brought in from overseas.

"Some are brought in parts to be assembled, packaged and labelled here," he said.

The authorities had found it difficult to track down the syndicates because all transactions were done in cash and without receipts, he added.