The Pasar Awam Kluang has been operating in Jalan Berangan since 1996.
Cooking class among activities transforming under-utilised premises into vibrant hub
A GROUP of youths have been trying to turn Pasar Awam Kluang in Kluang, Johor, into a community space by organising a series of fun and informative activities.
Led by architect Cheong Gin Yih, the non-governmental organisation Rejoin Collective comprises seven members.
Cheong, who is the NGO’s treasurer, said the group’s effort started in November 2022 after he visited the town market with Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi.
“At the time, I had just returned to Kluang from Spain where I had lived and worked for 10 years.
“In Europe, public markets are the heart of the city and bustling with activities.
“Some of these markets that I came across even have libraries.
“Such facilities were set up with help from the governments there.
“I was captivated by the Kluang public market’s architectural features and was inspired to improve the facility,” Kluang-born Cheong told StarMetro.
He felt that it was a waste for the market, which began operating in 1996, to be under-utilised despite having available space.
“The market, located in Jalan Berangan, comes alive from around 3am until 9am during which vendors manage their stocks and conduct business.
“Yet, by midday, the market falls silent with no activities filling the space until the next day.
“Rejoin Collective wanted to utilise the building’s unused spaces for creative activities, especially those by youths, to transform the market into a vibrant community hub,” he said, adding that the main challenges they faced were the lack of maintenance as well as building issues such as roof leaks.
High school students cooking produce that they bought at the market. The cooking class is organised by the Rejoin Collective.
He said each group member played a role in designing layout plans as well as communicating with Kluang Municipal Council, which owns the building.
Cheong explained that, after receiving a RM40,000 grant from the All Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia – Sustainable Development Goal in mid-2023, the collective dived into their plans of repairing the market’s roof and renting some lots as their office space.
“It took us about four months to repair and clean up the area.
“Since then, we have organised interesting activities for youths, including a compost-making workshop using food waste from the wet market.
“We also held a cooking class for high school students who were required to buy ingredients from the wet market before learning how to cook dishes.
“For most of these students, it was the first time they had ever set foot in the wet market,” he noted.
Among the other activities was an art exhibition by collective member and Kuala Lumpur-based artist Kian Tan, whose works highlighted the beauty of the wet market.
Cheong said Rejoin Collective had recently been approved by the Registrar of Societies and it was applying for more grants as well as raising funds to further improve the market’s condition.
“Through our events, we have received positive feedback from the public, especially the younger generation.
“We aim to focus on community activities that will encourage more people to visit the market.
“It will be a shame to see such an important building go to waste,” he added.
Another collective member Amirul Hakim Jamil, who deals with the local council and government agencies, remembered that there had been some initial hesitation towards their plans.
“As an urban designer myself, I think that it is important that we preserve old buildings such as the wet market and turn these into community hubs.
“We are glad that, after some convincing, the relevant agencies gave us their support.
“After seeing the turnout at the events, they too have realised the market’s potential as more than just a place to purchase groceries,” Amirul added.
