Stutong Community Market a hawkers’ pride — Dr Sim
KUCHING: Stutong Community Market should be the pride of the hawker community who have been operating their daily business there since 2008.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said that hawkers should be proud of the market because it is clean and orderly, ideal for the people to patronise.
“You (the hawkers) have been working closely with Kuching City South Council ( MBKS) to make the place attractive and conducive for trading,” he said at a dialogue session with the hawkers held at the market yesterday.
The session was organised by MBKS.
He said if the hawkers want the market to be upgraded all they had to do was to tell the local council and the government would do it.
“This is to make the market a condusive place for trading, improve the customers’ services, and boost sales,” he said
Dr Sim said the Stutong Community Market was well taken care off, and the hawkers must therefore treat the place like their own home.
“If you can keep your house clean you must also keep this market clean.”
Dr Sim later handed the council’s T-shirts to hawkers attending the session before adjourning to lunch at the market’s eatery section.
MBKS mayor Datuk James Chan also spoke. He said the Stutong Community Market was now a popular destination for locals to get their daily fresh provision in a very clean and conducive environment.
“The market has transformed into an attractive place that is clean and orderly, and which has also caught the attention of foreign tourists.
“The prime minister and also the mayor of Guro District in South Korea were impressed when they came for a visit.
“The market has 567 stalls and has 18 liaison committee members to ensure the market is managed properly,” Chan said.
The Stutong Community Market Liaison Committee chairman Tan Choon Yong thanked the government for meeting their many requests over the years to make the market conducive for the patrons.
“The council has helped us a lot and we will continue to work together with it for the good of the market and the hawkers,” he said.