Press Statement By Irene Chang:
I call on SMC to urgently arrange a temporary place for the 10 stall noodle hawkers to trade pending the renovation of Tiong Hua Market. These noodles stall hawkers were operating on the first floor of the market and many of them have not been having any income since the market closed on 25th September.
There were 10 food operators on the first floor of the market and most of them have already paid the yearly license of RM600.00. SMC needs to urgently look into their plight as some of them have been left without any income for more than 3 weeks. In fact, the Minister of local government should seriously and favorably consider their recent petition to extend them with some financial assistance during this trying time. I call on SMC to consider renting a few shop premises at Jalan Chew Siik Hiong for them to resume with their trade. This would not only greatly assist the stall operators but would also help the shopowners which shops have not been rented out with steady rental income for as long as the market is not ready to be occupied yet.
As for the fresh produce hawkers, the recent disruption have adversely affected their business by around 50%. They have been trading under the awnings for the past three weeks and have to move to the temporary site behind Nur Sejahtera clinic at Jalan Chew Siik Hiong on Tuesday. The hawkers are worried that their business would be further disrupted then as they would only be protected by canopies at the new temporary sites. I therefore call on SMC to push Public Works department (JKR) to issue their report on the condition of Tiong Hua Market as soon as possible in order that the renovation can start.
