Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai conveyed the decision after a meeting with KL mayor Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz earlier this morning.
“All eatery owners who have not been able to renew their shop licences can do so today.
“Previously, there were eateries that could not obtain their licences as they were required to pay the grease trap maintenance fee first before their licences could be renewed.
“We have received a lot of complaints ever since Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) started imposing this fee as many eatery owners could not afford to pay this fee,” he told reporters today.
Tan added that the fee charged, RM1,500 for instalment and maintenance of grease traps, will be reviewed.
“DBKL has agreed to restudy the terms of this fee to come up with a suitable price.”
He said those who had paid the maintenance fee will be compensated should the review result in a reduction in the fee.
In January 2017, DBKL made it compulsory for eateries under its enforcement area to pay an annual fee of RM1,500 to install and maintain grease traps in their premises.
The KL mayor had then said the decision was due to restaurants not complying with hygiene regulations. They had to have a grease trap installed prior to the restaurant commencing operations.
DBKL had said it had given restaurants ample time since 2005 to clean their grease traps regularly but many had failed to do so satisfactorily.
These owners did not realise that grease or oil waste not only could dirty rivers but could cause flash floods when they clogged up drains.
This grease trap regulation is part of City Hall’s efforts to clean up rivers.
City Hall had engaged nine contractors to take care of the 6,000 restaurants in Kuala Lumpur.
It had said it was not making any profit through this exercise as all the money paid for the grease trap maintenance fees went to the contractors themselves.