The MyKiosk initiative has significantly raised incomes for hawkers nationwide, with occupancy rates exceeding 85%, countering claims it is ineffective.

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Housing and Local Government has refuted claims labelling the MyKiosk project a ‘white elephant’, stating it has successfully increased the income of more than 7,000 hawker families.

According to the ministry, occupancy data from all local authorities shows a strong uptake for the initiative.

As of July 2025, the occupancy rate for MyKiosk 1.0 reached 91.75%, while MyKiosk 2.0 achieved 86.78%.

“This initiative has also helped raise the income of more than 7,000 hawker families nationwide, with records showing that some earned up to RM30,000 per month,” KPKT said in a statement.

The ministry welcomed a recent report and recommendations from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission aimed at enhancing the project’s governance.

The MACC submitted five proposals to improve the initiative’s long-term effectiveness yesterday.

These include conducting comprehensive needs and feasibility studies and integrating the project’s success into key performance indicators.

The anti-graft agency also recommended establishing a dedicated monitoring unit and enhancing the project’s implementation guidelines.

KPKT clarified that while federal policies and allocations are set centrally, local authorities are the main implementation agencies.

They are fully responsible for selecting locations, appointing traders, and maintaining the kiosk facilities.

The MACC report identified weaknesses at this level, particularly a lack of standard monitoring mechanisms for impact evaluation.

In response, KPKT has made comprehensive pre-installation studies mandatory for all local authorities.

This ensures kiosks are placed in areas with high market demand to guarantee business continuity.

The ministry will also assess local authority performance using a ‘traffic light’ system.

Authorities failing to meet occupancy and operation KPIs will face allocation cancellations, while high performers will receive incentives.

Local authorities are further advised to relocate underperforming kiosks to more strategic, high-traffic locations.

To expand the initiative’s reach, KPKT has introduced the Mykiosk@Kampus programme at higher learning institutions.

This supports graduate and youth entrepreneurship agendas on university campuses.

 The Sun Malaysia