A flea market for Kampung Bandong
SIBU: A permanent flea market is in the offing at Kampung Bandong here to stimulate economic activities in the area and allow small time traders to boost their incomes.
Programme coordinator Mohamad Safree Mohamad said if all went well, the market would open daily.
It is being organised on an ad hoc basis through joint efforts between Sibu Bandong Community Development Association and Saberkas National Youth Organisation (Saberkas) Nangka branch.
He said the past few flea markets organised had received good response from the public.
“The flea market had been organised four times in Kampung Bandong where traders sold clothing and fast food. The public had wanted the flea market to be organised more often so the plan is to roll it out on a permanent basis after renovating Bandong Food
The flea market had been organised four times in Kampung Bandong where traders sold clothing and fast food. The public had wanted the flea market to be organised more often so the plan is to roll it out on a permanent basis after renovating Bandong Food Court. — Mohamad Safree Mohamad, Programme coordinator
Court.
“For a start, we are hoping to have 10 stalls that sell clothing, sewing products, women’s accessories and perfume,” Mohamad Safree told thesundaypost yesterday.
Meanwhile, the town’s first flea market launched on August 2011 at Wong Ting Hock Lane 3, Sungai Merah town was unsustainable.
Comprising 48 stalls then, it operated from 6am to 7pm on weekends.
It fizzled out over time though initially there were crowds. Barely eight months later, the flea market closed down.
Elsewhere at Giant Hypermarket Sibu, Sibu Pioneer Entrepreneur Club organised the Gawai Flea Market 2016 from May 27-31.
Mohamad Safree, who is Saberkas Nangka branch secretary said they hoped to roll out another market in August to coincide with the National Day celebration.
He had heard about the first flea market in Sibu which closed down after several months.
To ensure their flea market thrives by drawing the crowd, they have a strategy.
“We plan to conduct stage shows including traditional performances like what we did in the previous flea market.”
In a recent interview, Assistant Minister for Science Research and Biotechnology, Dr Annuar Rapaee said a flea market should be distinctive and sell unique items in order to be a crowd-puller.
He suggested that operators move beyond food to second hand goods.
“For a start, we can sell items from our house that we no longer need. There should be a different way of holding a flea market in Sibu so we do not go too much into food - the public will not be able to differentiate a flea market from a ‘pasar malam’ (night market).”