According to DBKL’s Licensing and Hawkers Development Department Director Ibrahim Yusoff, the policy requires at least a 50 per cent ownership by a local to allow a foreigner to operate businesses here effective next year.

He said the new requirement also covered employees, whereby business owners must use at least 50 per cent local workforce.

“A one-month enforcement notice dated Nov 1, 2016, has been distributed to business premises around Kuala Lumpur. If they fail to meet the set requirements, DBKL has the right to withdraw their business licence,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters when asked to comment on the issue of foreign traders here during the tabling of the DBKL Budget 2017 by Kuala Lumpur Mayor Mhd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz yesterday.

Ibrahim said he hoped the strict conditions could curb the influx of foreign traders as well as “Ali Baba” licences.

He said in addition, DBKL would also freeze issuing of licences to foreign traders in several locations, including Jalan Silang, Bukit Bintang and Pusat Bandar Utara.

Monitoring would also be carried out to curb foreign traders without licences operating around Kuala Lumpur.

Earlier Mhd Amin had announced a RM2.871 billion budget for DBKL to provide municipal services and governance to about 1.76 million city dwellers in 2017.