Pasar Besar Jalan Othman has faithfully served the Petaling Jaya community for decades but has seen marked decline in number of traders and customers. — Filepic
MP seeks community input to facilitate recovery of Pasar Besar Jalan Othman as part of PJ Old Town uplift
THE office of Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung is facilitating engagements aimed at reviving the city’s oldest market by developing a recovery model driven by the community.
In a press statement, Lee said his office organised a roundtable session in June to discuss in more detail the implementation of a proposed Pasar Besar Jalan Othman recovery plan.
“It aimed to gather views from various parties to formulate a systematic, inclusive and sustainable action plan.
“The session was held following a meeting with representatives of market traders in April,” he said.
StarMetro had previously reported that the multistorey Pasar Besar Jalan Othman has seen low market trader occupancy rates and a drop in customers in recent years.
On the roundtable session, Lee said the 30-odd participants were from diverse backgrounds, and they included artists, urban planning consultants, representatives from art institutions and publications as well as non-governmental organisations.
“Participants put forward various insightful proposals while also expressing support for efforts to retain existing traders and the long-standing market community atmosphere,” he said in the statement.
“They generally agreed that the market’s recovery efforts should not be viewed as an isolated effort to modify the space, but as a starting point for the comprehensive revival of the Petaling Jaya Old Town area.
“With careful planning, this market has the potential to become a catalyst for economic growth, expand cultural activities and increase visitor flow to the surrounding areas.”
He said several proposals were also put forward, including efforts to preserve the existing community’s heritage and culture while incorporating new elements such as art workshops, exhibition spaces for the community and art education institutions as well as multipurpose spaces for various programmes.
“This concept of a multi-use ecosystem that combines traditional and contemporary elements is seen as capable of creating an inclusive space that unites both long-time customers and the new generation.
“It is also key to the project’s sustainability.”
Lee said participants also emphasised a need to establish a coordinating unit responsible for overseeing the overall implementation of the recovery plan.
“This unit should have the mandate to manage tenant admissions systematically, ensure smooth daily operations and develop a sustainable management framework in the long term.”
Lee welcomes interested parties to submit proposals or papers on the market’s recovery plan to his office.
“All documents received will be compiled and submitted to Petaling Jaya City Council for further consideration.
“My office is also ready to provide the necessary support to expedite the implementation of this plan,” he added.
