REPRESENTATIVES of aggrieved vendors from the Heng Ly Market in Tuol Kork district yesterday filed a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s cabinet, requesting the premier’s intervention in a dispute over a rent hike that came into effect on January 1.

About 100 vendors protested against the rent increase twice last month after the market’s owner announced that he would be raising annual stall rental prices for about 800 stallholders.

Representatives said 21 stalls remained closed yesterday, after 44 stallholders who refused to pay the new fees were shut out on Sunday.

Company representatives could not be reached for comment, but have previously stated that vendors’ demands to keep rents static were unrealistic.

Lim Leang Se, deputy chief of Hun Sen’s cabinet, said yesterday that the vendors’ letter had been received and that the matter would be discussed at City Hall today.

“Heng Ly Market is a private market, so we can’t alone decide to reduce the rental price,” he said.

“We will talk with the company through City Hall officials to find a suitable price all of them can accept.”