B'fort market traders in a fix after being told to relocate
Published on: Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Beaufort: Traders and business owners plying their trades at the market area in Beaufort Jaya are at a loss after being told by the District Council they would be relocated soon to make way for a commercial development.The group's representative, Lim Sin Tet, said the group of more than 30 small traders was summoned to a meeting with the District Officer, Said Osman, District Council officers and the developer on Sept 11 where they were told that they would be moved to an area next to Beaufort's sports complex."That area is very far from town and nobody would go there. We were told that the existing market where we conduct our businesses would be transformed into three-storey shophouses. But the 1.46 acres where our stalls are on had been gazetted as market area.
ADVERTISEMENT
When I asked for the approval letter from the Local Government and Housing Ministry, which they purportedly have, they could not produce it and simply told us that the ministry had verbally agreed that the development can be done," said Lim.He said the market, which was built in 1981, has 33 stalls and shops selling items such as food and drinks, general stores, clothing, tailor shops and even shop selling spare parts for machinery.The market had been developed so that bumiputeras can conduct their businesses without having to pay high rentals.The group, said Lim, was also saddened by the remark made by Beaufort District Council member, Yunus Rajah, who said the Council is poor because it only receives RM30 in rent from each of the stalls.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Such statement should not have come from a member of the Council," slammed Lim.The group is also unsatisfied with how the deal is being conducted, especially when the Council had already appointed a developer without, according to him, going through normal process like calling tenders from the public.
ADVERTISEMENT
Such process, said Lim, had never happened before and thus, had cast doubts among traders over the approval of the project from the said ministry. "This is why we are sending memorandums, signed by the traders, to the ministry as well as to the office of the Chief Minister. We are poor people, and our small businesses are the only ways for us to feed our families."We do not have our own lands. Some of us are still renting houses. Among us, there are four single mothers who depend solely on their businesses to care for their children."If we are forced to relocate to another location which is not suitable for businesses, we would be in deep trouble. The Council might as well dig a hole, push us in and bury us," he said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
