Tuesday October 13, 2009

New market to be ready soon

Story and photo by SALINA KHALID

THE Seri Kembangan market traders can move in to the new market by early next year, said Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) president Datuk Adnan Md Ikshan.

He said the upgrading work on the new market in Jalan SK6/1 started last week.

Costing RM200,000, the work is scheduled to be completed in seven weeks.

Sharing info: Adnan (right) showing the layout design of the new Seri Kembangan market to MPSJ councillor Tai Cheng Heng.

It includes changing the table tops to suit the need of the market traders and improving the amenities like toilets and parking bays.

Adnan said the new market, which is located about 1km away from the existing market, would provide a more suitable, comfortable and organised venue for the traders.

He said the new premises would also solve the traffic congestion that plagued the old market area.

“Our focus is to provide a more comfortable place for both traders and visitors to the market.

“Relocating them (traders) will help to resolve various issues, including illegal traders,” he said.

“But it is up to them whether they want to move,” he added.

Apart from the congestion, the old market caused a lot of inconvenience for traders and customers with its ill-equipped amenities and parking woes.

“People go there because there is no other alternative,” he said.

However, the relocation had received objection from some of the traders who felt the new place would not benefit them much.

Some of them believed the move might affect their business as the new premises was much smaller than the present site.

The new market is located on 0.4ha of land and due to limited space, it could only accommodate some of the traders. The rest would remain at the old market.

He added the council had tried to provide a suitable location but the main priority was to solve the traffic problem.

He said the selection was done after considering the nature of their traders’ business, in an effort to match them at the new location.

When asked about the objection posed by the traders during a recent meeting between the council and the traders, Adnan said they had tried to explain about the need for the relocation, yet some traders were not keen about it.

“They can object but the decision to move is entirely up to them,” he said.

“But do not blame us if their licence (at the old market) is not renewed because renewing the licence falls under the MPSJ jurisdiction,” he said.

When asked about whether there were any plans for the old market, Adnan said no decision had been made yet.