The farmers market traders want a clear solution before they agree to relocate to Serambi Teruntum. — Filepic
PASAR tani (farmers market) traders in front of the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) in Kuantan, Pahang, are adamant about not relocating to Dataran Serambi Teruntum.
Although Kuantan City Council (MBK) had suspended its order to move, the traders said this was not a definite solution and had instead left them in a state of uncertainty.
Ramlah Yusof, a representative of the traders, said: “The notice from MBK was so sudden and it caught us all by surprise. It wanted us to relocate to Serambi Teruntum in less than a week.
“The order has since been suspended but we want a clear solution. The postponement is not a solution because we do not know when MBK will tell us to move again.”
The pasar tani traders received a notice dated June 14, stating that MBK decided the Sunday market should move to Serambi Teruntum in Tanjung Lumpur effective June 19.
Following objections from the traders, Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail decided that MBK should postpone the relocation and conduct an in-depth review of the matter.State local government and housing committee chairman Datuk Abd Rahim Muda had said that the relocation order was to alleviate traffic congestion on Jalan Bukit Sekilau next to the market site in the city centre.
Ramlah, 54, said the reason for the relocation was not stated in the notice and they were all in the dark about it.
“If it is because of traffic congestion, then we are willing to talk with MBK to seek a solution.
“We just feel that business will be worse if we move to Serambi Teruntum.
“It may even affect us more severely than the Covid-19 movement control order,” added Ramlah.
Among the unfavourable factors at the new site, said Ramlah, was that Serambi Teruntum was not very accessible to customers.
“Motorists coming from the bridge towards Tanjung Lumpur can easily miss the turn into Serambi Teruntum. Then they would have to make a U-turn further down the road to head back to the city.
“We also doubt our elderly customers would be able to find us in the proposed location.
“We understand that Serambi Teruntum is not a very popular business location and we know the city council wants to develop the area, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of our business,” said Ramlah.
Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, who met with the traders recently, said MBK should have studied the matter first before issuing such a hasty order.
She said the opinions of the pasar tani customers also had to be taken into account as they were stakeholders in the issue.
Also present at the meeting was Teruntum assemblyman Sim Chon Siang.
