Gleaming but gloomy: Few customers visit Pasar PJKita@Sri Damansara in Bandar Sri Damansara, Petaling Jaya due to lack of stalls open for business. — Photos: ART CHEN/The Star
Pasar PJKita@Sri Damansara becomes a white elephant despite modern design inspired by those in Singapore
EMPTY stalls are a common sight at the RM6mil Pasar PJKita@Sri Damansara wet market in Petaling Jaya.
Most of these stalls are located on the ground floor of the two-storey complex in Jalan Tembaga SD5/2B.
Traders on the upper floor said the lack of visitors to the ground floor was affecting business.
The wet market was opened in March 2022, but the facility has become a white elephant.
Rows of empty stalls greet visitors, with only a handful of vendors selling at the wet market section.
Prior to the building’s opening, traders operated from a makeshift market at Jalan Tembaga SD5/2A.
During a recent visit to the market complex, StarMetro found many of the businesses closed.
The market has about 60 stalls selling wet and dry goods as well as cooked food at the food court.
Chinese prayer paraphernalia seller MS Sam said the number of customers had reduced drastically over the past two years.
The Pasar PJKita@Sri Damansara in Bandar Sri Damansara, Petaling Jaya, is well maintained but many of the stalls are closed. — Photos: ART CHEN/The Star
He said he still had his regular customers.
“We, however, do not get new customers,” said Sam.
“People don’t seem to know that there is a market here.
“Most traders dealing in wet goods are not opening their shops regularly as their stalls are often closed,” he said, adding that some of them have rented the stall space only to be used to store their things.
Crowd-puller needed
Nasi lemak seller V. Vishva, said the wet goods section was usually the main attraction drawing in the crowd.
“When the majority of the stalls selling fresh produce and meat are closed, it gives the impression that the market is deserted.
“People assume the food court on the upper floor is closed too,” said Vishva.
Tan says MBPJ should consider extending the market’s opening hours.
“We do have some regular customers coming to the food court at lunchtime but we rarely have new ones.
“Visitors hardly go to the first floor because they are unaware that there is a lift.”
He, however, noted that the market did not have anyone selling freshly grated coconut.
“When a market lacks some of these important pull factors, it indirectly affects other businesses such as the food court,” added Vishva.
Bandar Sri Damansara Hawker Association spokesperson Jackie Tan said the former makeshift market in the neighbourhood had been popular.
“We went to meet former mentri besar, the late Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, to have this market building approved.
Ravindran says MBPJ should hold activities to inject life into the market.
“The market has modern facilities, high ceilings, natural light and is well maintained and clean.
“In fact, it was inspired by the modern wet markets in Singapore. All it lacks are customers,” said Tan, who inherited his father’s poultry business.
He said the market’s old- timers were dedicated and had regular customers.
“However, the new traders do not seem able to sustain their business,” he added.
Tan said about 20 veteran traders got their business licence renewed by Petaling Jaya City Council’s (MBPJ) Evaluation and Property Management Department.
However, newer traders now deal with the Licensing, Business Development and Entrepreneur Department instead.
Simplify stall rental process
Tan said the application process for new traders should be simplified.
“There are many traders interested in doing business.
“However, the language barrier is hampering some of them as the process of applying for a stall is not simple.
“A lot of documents are required and this scares some of them off,” he said.
Tan suggested that MBPJ carry out the stall rental application process at the market premises to help new traders.
Only a handful of traders are operating on the ground floor of the market.
“This way, association members can help them fill in the forms.
“We also hope MBPJ will conduct spot checks and take action on those who do not operate their business, but are still renewing their licence.”
Tan also suggested that MBPJ extend the market’s operating hours which is now from 6am to 2pm, to between noon and 7pm.
In Penang, he said the Batu Lanchang and Lebuh Cecil markets operated from noon to 7pm and between 7.30am and 6.30pm respectively, and they managed to draw the crowd.
Bandar Sri Damansara Hawker Association president Low Chin Loo said the association wanted the market to thrive.
Food stall operators say the lack of visitors is affecting their business.
The market, he said, even had a freezer for meat and fish sellers to use – something that older markets did not have.
Low said the stall rental charged, between RM90 and RM200, by MBPJ, was reasonable, hoping the city council would help carry out promotion activities for the market.
MBPJ, he added, should allow only those who were serious about doing business a chance to trade there.
Inject life into market
Bandar Sri Damansara Residents Association former president Ravindran Raman Kutty said the community fought hard to have the market built.
He said the market used to be popular before the new building was constructed.
“However, today it has lost its customers. Youths should be roped in to do business here.”
He hoped MBPJ would help promote the market and inject life into it.
“We hope MBPJ will organise activities here too as it has modern facilities,” he said.
MBPJ Licensing, Business Development and Entrepreneur Department director Sharinaz Samsudin said it would take note of suggestions given and look into improving the application process.
MBPJ councillor Suriase Gengiah said market traders were facing unfair competition from illegal traders operating outside in vans and lorries.
“We will have to clear these illegal traders so that they do not affect the livelihood of licensed ones,” he said.
