The Minister of Local Government Development, Nga Kor Ming, has stated that strict measures will be taken against business license holders who lease their premises to foreigners without valid work permits. According to Nga, local councils have never allowed foreigners to obtain business licenses for any type of premises, including retail shops, eateries, car workshops, and markets. The approval for business licenses is exclusively granted to Malaysians in compliance with local council by-laws. He emphasized that foreigners renting public market sites or premises owned by local councils must possess valid working permits. Nga affirmed that authorities will not tolerate business license holders who violate these regulations, warning that their licenses will be revoked. These remarks were made during Nga’s Budget 2024 winding-up speech on October 31.
Nga also highlighted that continuous operations have been conducted at all business premises by local councils and enforcement agencies. Up until September, a total of 26,108 business licenses had been revoked as a result of 1,558 integrated operations carried out by August 31.
