Tuesday January 1, 2013

Food stall operators to wait at least three weeks before resuming business

By CALVIN YEO
yeop@thestar.com.my

KUCHING: It was definitely not a happy year-end for 15 food stall operators at the Batu Lintang hawker centre here, whose businesses were affected by a fire early yesterday morning.

A seafood stall operator, Chua Chong Hui, said all of them might have to wait for weeks before they could resume their business.

“The (Kuching South City Council) mayor visited the scene this morning and assured us that we could resume our business once renovation to the damaged parts of the centre is done.

Remnants: A food stall operator clearing what is left of his stall after the fire at the Batu Lintang hawker centre. - ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / The Star

“That will take at least three weeks. So, in the meantime, we just have to halt our business and wait for the renovation,” he told The Star here yesterday.

Chong had yet to assess his losses.

According to him, the food centre has occupied the site for about half a century.

“We only operate during the evening, except for the rojak kuchei stall which operates in the morning.

“There are a total of 15 stalls here offering seafood and drinks,” he added.

Meanwhile a drinks stall operator known only as Madam Lim, said she also had to stop her business temporarily although her stall was not affected by the fire.

“With all the food stalls closed, I might as well do the same since there will be no customers coming here.

“We just hope that we could resume business soon,” said Lim, who has been in business at the centre since 1978.

Another food stall operator said she was only informed about the fire at 2am yesterday.

“By the time I reached here, everything was destroyed. There is nothing much that I can do except wait,” she said.

News

Tuesday January 1, 2013

Food stall operators to wait at least three weeks before resuming business

By CALVIN YEO yeop@thestar.com.my

By CALVIN YEO
yeop@thestar.com.my