SUPP Sibu hopes Central Market will see better business this year
SIBU: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Sibu voiced its hopes for better business for the Central Market hawkers for the year ahead during its Chinese New Year ( CNY) visit to the market yesterday.
Speaking to reporters after the visit, SUPP Sibu management committee chairman Chieng Buong Toon said he understood the difficulties faced by the hawkers especially in coping with the bad economy.
“I hope that this year would be a fruitful year for all the hawkers especially when we are experiencing a bad economy and higher living costs. I pray for a better year ahead.
“Hawkers’ lives are not easy; they have to wake up early in the morning to open their businesses and we shall never forget their many contributions to society,” he said.
About 20 people from five SUPP Sibu branches—Nangka, Dudong, Bukit Assek, Bawang Assan and Pelawan— participated in the CNY visit at the Central Market yesterday.
This year, they extended an invitation to Assistant Minister for Science Research and Biotechnology Dr Annuar Rapaee who is also Nangka assemblyman to join them.
Also part of the group was political secretary to the chief minister Michael Tiang and three potential candidates for Lanang parliamentary seat – Joseph Chieng, Wong Ching Yong and Kelvin Kong.
Joseph said that SUPP had always been grateful for the contributions of the hawkers to society.
He said they would always stand with the hawkers to create a better Sibu in the future.
“Today ( yesterday), we want to show our appreciation to the hawkers and at the same time, wish them to have good business ahead,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Wong urged SUPP members, especially from the Bukit Assek and Dudong branches, to stay united.
He said if any one of them was nominated to stand for Lanang seat in the 14th General Election, both branches would do their best and cooperate with each other.
“Lanang is a very important seat for SUPP in Sibu; we do not have any YBs (elected representatives) or senators, so we need to work hard to reclaim the seat,” he said.
Joseph is Bukit Assek branch youth chief while Wong is Dudong branch deputy chairman.
Kong is a member of the Dudong branch.
Kong also urged members of the two branches to stay united and work together to wrest back the seat.
“It doesn’t matter who will be nominated, we must be of the same heart and work together,” he said.
Meanwhile, a hawker who only wanted to be known as Lau, 74, said he only prayed and hoped for good health for his family.
“I have nothing more to ask. I just want to be blessed with good health and secondly, I also pray for good business,” he said.
Lau, who has been trading at the market for over 50 years, said business for Chinese New Year was good so far, but it was expected to slow down after the new year.
He said he worked from 4am until 4.30pm every day except on the first day of Chinese New Year when he took a rest.
“Every year, I only have one rest day which is the first day of Chinese New Year,” he said.
Meanwhile, a food hawker said she opened her stall even on the first day of Chinese New Year.
She said business was okay so far and also hoped for better business ahead.