IPOH: A 0.14ha plot of land used by a century-old traditional Indian dhobi outlet in Jalan Sibilin to dry its clothes will still serve as a car park for Wesley Methodist School Ipoh (International), but the dhobi’s operations will not be disrupted for now, say the authorities.
Ipoh City Council (MBI) secretary Ahmad Munir Ishak said the land has been leased to the school to alleviate traffic congestion during peak hours.
“The land is under MBI and although I am unsure about the lease details, we have rented it to the school to help address the usual traffic congestion during peak hours,” he said after the launch of the MBI-level Fly the Jalur Gemilang campaign here yesterday.
Ahmad Munir said the dhobi would not be affected by the car park construction as only the designated area would be used for the project. However, he said the dhobi might eventually need to vacate the premises depending on ownership of the land.
Previously, The Star reported that an international school behind the dhobi had begun constructing a car park on the site where the clothes were traditionally dried.
K. Elangovathi, 75, who runs the dhobi, said the construction started this month, leading to power and water supply disruptions. She has since been drying clothes at another part of her outlet.
