IPOH: The construction of a carpark by Wesley Methodist School Ipoh (International) will proceed without affecting the operations of a 100-year-old traditional dhoby on Jalan Sibilin, says Ipoh City Council secretary Ahmad Munir Ishak.
This comes after the dhoby raised concerns about the 0.14 ha area that will be taken up by the parking lot, as it has been using it for drying clothes.
On the parking lot, Ahmad Munir said that the land has been rented to the school to alleviate traffic congestion during peak hours.
"The land is under MBI and though I am unsure whether it’s on lease we have rented it out to the school to help address the usual traffic congestion during peak hours," he said after the MBI-level Jalur Gemilang flying campaign at the Council's offices on Thursday (Aug 15).
Ahmad Munir added that the dhoby would not be affected by the carpark's construction, as only the designated area will be used for the project.
However, he said that the dhoby might eventually need to vacate the premises, depending on the land ownership.
"The dhoby won’t be affected, only a specific area is being taken. However, they may have to move out at some point, depending on the land ownership. For now, we have not asked them to leave," he added.
Earlier, checks by The Star found that an international school behind the century-old dhoby had begun constructing a carpark on the site where the clothes were traditionally dried.
K. Elangovathi, 75, who runs the dhoby outlet, said that the construction began this month, leading to challenges such as power and water supply disruptions.
She has since had to relocate the clothes-drying area to the other side of the outlet.
Elangovathi took over the dhoby business after her husband passed away three years ago at the age of 76, and said that her late husband was the fourth generation of dhoby wallahs or traditional Indian washermen.
