Open air hawkers say lack of lighting, proper drainage affecting business
KAPIT: Stall operators at the open air lot along Jalan Airport here have expressed their dissatisfaction towards their current trading area.
Following their relocation a few months ago due to the construction of a multi-storey carpark at their previous location, the operators say they face various hardships and challenges which have caused their business to suffer.
Among the complaints are lack of lighting, the distance from Kapit town and Bletih town, as well as improper drainage that results in flooding each time there is heavy rain.
Several of them forwarded their grievances to DAP Socialist Youth Sarawak vice- chairman Larry Asap, who visited the site on Sunday evening to see for himself the situation faced by the traders.
According to him, the roughly 30 hawkers used to operate along Jalan Tiong Ung Hung and Jalan Yong Mok Chai in Kapit town, but were relocated by Kapit District Council to the present site at the old airport roughly a kilometre away.
“Since many of their customers are visitors to Kapit, their business has suffered because not many have transportation to go to the current open air site, or even know that the hawkers are trading here now.
“For those who do patronise the current location, they are at the mercy of flooding each time there is rain due to improper drainage. The storm drain at the rear of the stalls would overflow into the kitchen and customers would sometimes end up sitting in a pool of water,” he said.
Larry said he hoped the relevant authority would look into the matter and rectify the problems faced by the open- air hawkers to avoid their livelihood being affected.