SHAH ALAM, Nov 6 — Only about seven per cent of the 7,221 unlicensed factories (KTK) operating in Selangor have applied to legalise their operation since 2006, said State Local Government and Tourism Committee chairman Ng Suee Lim.

He said the committee had identified several factors which hampered the remaining factories from applying to legalise their operation.

They included the unwillingness of the factory operators to cooperate, problems facing the factories concerned to comply with the conditions of the planning permission (KM), ownership status of premises not being the same as the ownership status of the land, and the factory built on agricultural land, he added.

He said the problem had been going on for almost 20 years with the state government making various efforts to resolve it.

"This is carried out to ensure Selangor becomes a business-friendly state and will help them to generate economic activities in the area,” he told the media after the Town Hall Session with the owners and operators of unlicensed factories operating in the Shah Alam City Council area here today.

Ng said efforts would continue to be made to facilitate the KTK operators to apply for licences.

On the town hall session held today, he said it was well received with the attendance of more than 60 per cent or about 1,000 entrepreneurs and owners of KTK in Shah Alam.

A similar programme will be held soon in Klang, he said, adding that Klang also recorded a high number of KTKs. — Bernama