Hawkers protest evacuation

Hawkers protest evacuation

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): More than 500 hawkers staged a picket in a
slum market area in Kuala Lumpur, protesting forced evacuation
under plans to clean-up the capital for the 1998 Commonwealth
Games.

The hawkers, mostly ethnic Malays, took to the streets
carrying banners reading "The mayor is crazy for power",
"Corporates are protected, hawkers are betrayed", "The city
council is cruel" and "Honk for support".

Most of their shops at the market bazaar in the Chow Kit area
were closed and pasted with posters carrying similar messages,
slamming the Kuala Lumpur city council for the evacuation plan.

Police were trying to control the situation as traffic was
brought to a standstill.