V. Raja Poomy is well-known to appam lovers in Bangsar, as he ran a stall – Poomy’s Kitchen – in Lorong Ara Kiri 3, Lucky Garden, for more than 30 years.
But his world came crashing down more than two years ago when Kuala Lumpur City Hall decided to upgrade the stalls into a proper food court, and had ‘wrongfully’ cancelled his licence.
The new food court, which started operations in June this year, now has public toilets and a surau.
However, before he could get a lot in the new food court, Raja claims that he was informed by City Hall that his licence would not be renewed after February 2020, as he was alleged to have allowed foreigners to run the business.
Raja said he decided to transfer the business licence to his daughter, Sumitha in 2018, as he was getting older.
“In 2019, someone informed the enforcement officers who were making their rounds, that I had allowed foreigners to use my licence to run the business,” said Raja, who now provides catering services to some of his loyal customers to keep busy.
He claimed that because of the allegation, the council cancelled his licence. He has been appealing ever since.
“We only open from 2pm until late at night, but the enforcement officers came to make their rounds in the morning on that day,” he said.
“I do not know why the officer did not verify the information with me. Those who frequent my stall know that I, or my daughter (Sumitha), run the business.”
Ironically, Raja worked as an enforcement officer with City Hall’s enforcement department for seven years, between 1976 and 1983.
Being a former City Hall employee, Raja said he knew the rules and followed them meticulously when he transferred the licence to Sumitha.
“There was no issue, until the allegation about foreigners running the stall, cropped up,” he said, adding that he has never hired foreigners at his stall.
“I will be 78 in December. That is why I transferred the licence to Sumitha. I wanted her to carry on with the business,” said Raja, who served in the army from 1963 to 1975.
“I have gone to City Hall to speak to the officers, but each time I go there, I am told that they are in a meeting.
He added that he also wrote to former Federal Territories minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa on April 5, 2021, but to no avail. He also sent several letters of appeal to City Hall, but all have been rejected.
“If I have no choice, I will hire a lawyer to fight my case.
“All I want is to continue my business and to find out why the licence was cancelled without anyone from City Hall contacting me.”
When contacted by Twentytwo13, a spokesman from City Hall said they would investigate the matter.
