THE redevelopment of Selayang Segar trading stalls in Batu Caves, Selangor, will be carried out through the build-operate-transfer (BOT) method and expected to take between 12 and 18 months to complete.
State women empowerment and welfare committee chairman Anfaal Saari said the project will be managed by Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) with a private company for 21 years.
“Sri Villa Sdn Bhd will build the stalls under a joint venture concept and implementing it through a private finance initiative (PFI),” said Anfaal, who is Taman Templer assemblyman.
BOT is a project delivery-and-financing model where a private entity receives a contract from a government or corporation to finance, design, construct and operate a facility for a specified period.
PFI refers to a procurement method where private firms fund, design, build and manage public infrastructure projects and are subsequently repaid by the government over a long-term lease.
The Selayang Segar stall project, also known as Selayang Segar business centre, is located on a 0.87ha site at Lot 89675, Jalan Selayang Segar 1 in Taman Selayang Baru.
“The previous structure was built more than 20 years ago by a private developer on government reserve land,” said MPS Property Valuation and Management Department (JPPH) director Ahmad Faisal Badiuzaman.
“In June 2022, the site was gazetted for council stalls. The state government remains the landowner while MPS is the administrator,” he added.
Ahmad Faisal said the area became haphazard over the years as some stalls were expanded or renovated by the traders themselves and there was no designated parking.
The stalls ranged in size from 18.6sqm to 92.9sqm.
MPS JPPH Public Facilities Department head Dr Mohd Zikry Zulkifle said the previous structure housed 63 traders selling food and drinks or offering motorcycle repair services.
However, 33 were discovered to be sub-tenants and 22 had significant rent arrears, with one even owing RM30,000.
“The redevelopment project aims to restructure and upgrade the site to have proper stalls with facilities,” said Faisal, adding that the developer would design the building based on council specifications.
“The new place will be a single-storey building with 64 stalls. It will also have toilets, surau, walkways and 103 parking bays.”
He said original Selayang Segar traders who were temporarily relocated would be given priority placement in the new building.
“Offers for the trading lots will be subject to MPS licensing conditions, such as applicants being Malaysian citizens, while their stalls cannot be sublet,” said Faisal.
“The PFI arrangement is for a 21-year period. Under the deal, Sri Villa will manage and lease the lots throughout that duration, following which MPS will take over.”
Sri Villa representative Edmund Chan said the RM13mil project would feature stalls measuring 46.5sqm each. The steel structure will be rebuilt on the existing site.
They spoke during a press conference with MPS councillor Ahmad Zahiri Zahid Sofian, the council’s JPPH team and representatives from Sri Villa at the project site.
Ahmad Zahiri said there had been accusations regarding the project concerning the demolition rate, suggesting that the rebuilding process was delayed or did not follow correct procedures.
“I have been monitoring the project from the start.
“Everything has been according to schedule and MPS requirements, including the need for the developer to instal hoarding before starting construction.”
Anfaal urged MPS to closely monitor the project to ensure the developer completed it in an orderly and timely manner.
