Saharudin speaking to the media regarding the road closure.
MELAKA: Some 2,000 traders from six associations in Bandar Hilir here are urging the state government to reconsider the plan of turning the stretch to the city's tourism icons into a vehicle-free zone.
The traders claimed the plan would impact their businesses that are heavily dependent on tourists.
Plaza Mahkota Entrepreneurs Association chairman Saharudin Mohd Noh, 56, said the plan to close the 1.3km-long road from Stadthuys Building to Dataran Pahlawan was not discussed with the business community from the area.
"We only came to know about the plan through media coverage.
"There were no efforts made to consult us," he said on Thursday (May 25).
Saharudin said the state government should organise a dialogue session with stakeholders in the affected areas before announcing such plans.
Uptown Pahlawan Walk Traders Association chairman Wan Haizi Abdul Rahim, 43, said 200 of its members would stage a protest if the state government goes ahead with the plan.
"How would we get to our business site with our goods if the roads are closed during the peak weekends?
"Tourists too have to walk a distance to buy items from us," he said.
Wan Haizi anticipates sales to decline badly if the plan takes shape.
Salon operator Ben Quek, 50, said the state government should consider making available more parking spaces without prohibiting vehicles from the popular destination.
"Traffic bottlenecks will also trigger if the plan is implemented," he added.
Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf had recently announced the plan to turn Bandar Hilir, which is a tourist destination, into a vehicle-free zone from Fridays to Sundays.
He said the dry run by Melaka Historic City Council on the plan will start mid-June.
