KUALA LUMPUR: Prasarana Malaysia Bhd (Prasarana) is planning more programmes in the coming year that could involve small traders at the country’s public transport company’s rail station premises.

President and chief executive officer Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah said the initiative will give small and ‘home-based traders the opportunity to increase their income while encouraging more people to use public transport.

“We are proud to support small traders with the facilities we have,“ he told reporters after launching the “Santai Bersama Rapid KL” programme at the Kwasa Sentral MRT station site today.

The pilot programme, that also featured performances by local artists, aims to provide space for 52 small traders specialising in food and handicrafts. The fee for cleaning the shop space is only RM20.

One of the traders, Muhammad Zulshahiran Mohd Zulkifli, 29, said the Prasarana offer will help him make a name for himself before he joins a bigger programme.

“I used to do my business only on the roadside. Organising such a programme for the first time will help me improve the image of my business and the cost is worthwhile even for small traders like us,“ he said. - Bernama