‘MPP must address concerns of villagers following demolishment of stalls’
KUCHING: Padawan Municipal Council ( MPP) chairman Lo Khere Chiang is urged to come up with an amicable settlement to allay the concerns and demands of 25 villagers of Kampung Bumbok, who set up stalls along the road near their village to sell vegetables and other fresh produce.
The call was made by Dr Kelvin Yii, the special assistant to Bandar Kuching MP, following the demolishment of the stalls by MPP officers yesterday on the heels of an eviction notice ordering the hawkers to vacate about a month ago.
“These stalls were made by their (villagers) own effort and money. Many of these hawkers are elderly; some single mothers and many are single breadwinners of their families whose only sole income is from these roadside stalls to earn a decent income and to put food on the table.
“They mostly sell their own self- grown vegetables or jungle produce they collect from the nearby jungle,” Dr Yii said in a press statement yesterday.
He said he received a call from the hawkers early yesterday morning, informing him that their stalls would be demolished, and immediately went over to better understand the situation as well to personally speak to the traders.
“I was informed that YB Lo Khere Chiang and MPP had a meeting with them on July 17 regarding the eviction. They expressed their objection during the meeting and Lo made a verbal promise and agreed that they could continue doing their business by the roadside outside Kampung Bumbok.
“However, a month later, the hawkers were shocked to receive a letter from MPP, dated Aug 18, notifying them to relocate their business to the Kampung Bumbok Community Centre.
“The notice stated that MPP, at the Special Full Council Meeting held on the Aug 17, had made a unanimous decision on the matter, which is contrary to what was promised to the hawkers during the meeting.”
Dr Yii said the hawkers felt cheated as the promise that was made to them had been broken.
“They have been selling vegetables and jungle produce at the same location without any problems and for many, it is their only source of income for over 20 years.
“I even spoke to some young people among them who said they grew up and finished school due to the income their parents generated from these stalls, and it was sad (for them) to see these stalls being demolished.”
In noting that many of the hawkers are poor and spent the little they have to build up the stalls, Dr Yii said the main concerns raised by them to move to the new location was that their business will be affected by the shift.
“They claim that the new location is not strategic and inconvenient for customers who need to purposefully drive in and park their cars rather than just buying it from the side of the road, especially on rainy days.”
Dr Yii said this was also experienced by hawkers of Satok Sunday Market and Benteng Satok, who had a major loss of income and business after they were evicted and their stalls moved to Medan Niaga Satok in Kubah Ria, Matang.
He added that some of the Kampung Bumbok hawkers also expressed their reluctance to move because there was no proper partition to separate ‘halal’ and ‘non-halal’ stalls.
“As most of their customers are Muslims, the customers may feel uncomfortable going to the new location especially if there are alcohol and non- halal items being sold openly without proper partition.”
Dr Yii said he had contacted Lo and MPP to request for another meeting to try to come up with an amicable solution and settlement, stressing that the hawkers are just trying to make an honest living and want the best and most strategic location to do their business and earn a decent income.
“I thus urge that Lo, as the elected representative of Batu Kitang and also chairman of MPP, to properly address the issue and listen to the concerns and needs of the people.”