Kuching: The hawker centre located on the second floor of the Sungai Maong Wet Market has been struggling with a serious bird infestation problem, raising concerns over hygiene and public health.
During a recent visit to the market in conjunction with the Mid-Autumn Festival, Special Assistant to Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, George Lam, witnessed the unsanitary conditions firsthand.
According to Lam, both diners and hawkers often encounter bird droppings falling into bowls, onto tables, chairs, and even the floor.
“The hygiene situation is indeed worrying,” Lam said, adding that hawkers have long raised complaints about the issue to the Kuching North City Hall (DBKU), which oversees the market’s maintenance and cleanliness.
Lam claimed that despite repeated reports to DBKU officers, hawkers were told that the council had “no allocation” to address the problem.
“The hygiene of hawker centres must be given the highest priority. These problems must be resolved without delay, instead of being dragged on and allowed to continue affecting the health and dining environment of both hawkers and diners,” he stressed.
In addition to the bird infestation, hawkers also voiced frustration over a recent DBKU directive prohibiting stalls from placing extra tables outside their designated boundaries.
The city council reportedly cited concerns about obstruction to pedestrian walkways.
However, Lam said his on-site observations showed that the extra tables were small and primarily used for food preparation, posing no obstruction to diners or pedestrians.
“Such requirements are unnecessarily nitpicky. Before enforcing policies, the city council should assess the real situation on the ground instead of drafting rules from behind an office desk,” he said.
Lam urged DBKU to take immediate action by installing ultrasonic bird repellers at the Sungai Maong Wet Market hawker centre to restore a clean and hygienic environment.
He also called for flexibility in enforcement, suggesting that hawkers be allowed to use foldable tables during business hours as long as they are stored away after closing.
