Bistro owner cries foul over sound of silence
He was confident that the business would grow. However, less than a year after the opening of Sanook, Yeo is suffering a loss of RM100,000 monthly.

And Yeo is blaming the Petaling Jaya City Council for the drop in business.

He claimed that the council had rejected his application for a renewal of his bistro's entertainment licence without any justification.

Yeo said he was puzzled why his attempt to renew the licence late last year was rejected by the council.

The businessman pointed out that he did not face any problem when he was given a four-month entertainment licence valid from August to December, 2008 in his earlier application. He paid RM2,650 for the licence.

Yeo said the council had told him that his application was rejected as residents had complained about noise from the bistro.

He, however, disputed the council's reason as most of his patrons were from the neighbourhood and had not complained about loud music.

"Without an entertainment licence, I am unable to have any music at my bistro. What is a bistro without music? I don't play excessively loud music and it is only piped music.

"I have pool tables for my guests but now they don't get to enjoy the ambience because of the absence of music here.

"I have suffered a 50 per cent drop in my business," he said, adding that he was among the first to set up business in Plaza Kelana Jaya in May last year.

Yeo said the council also did not explain to him the process of obtaining an entertainment licence or the requirements he needed to fulfil in order to get an approval.

The problem does not end there for Yeo. In November last year, he was also slapped with a RM5,000 summons by the council for having a jazz band performing at the premises without a licence.

Yeo said he had decided to let the band perform after he was told by a city council officer that his licence application (submitted in August), would be approved in November.

"On top of paying the fine, I have to pay the band RM12,000 although they did not perform for two weeks," said Yeo.

Seven other restaurants were also affected by the council's refusal to issue them an entertainment licence.

Mark Lingam, the owner of Mark's Place, said he had not been able to hold any event or promotion at his pub since its opening three months ago.

"I am losing about RM40,000 monthly," said Mark.

Commenting on the issue, Kelana Jaya member of parliament Loh Gwo-Burne said the council should set the record straight on the guidelines for business operators to obtain entertainment licences.

"I will organise a dialogue with the affected business operators, the Joint-Management Body of Plaza Kelana Jaya as well as the council to iron out the issues," he said, adding that he sees a tremendous potential for Plaza Kelana Jaya to grow into a tourist attraction similar to Clarke Quay in Singapore.