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We call on the Government to build modern markets that are acceptable to the people such as the City Hall Kuala Lumpur building hawkers’ centres and model markets, including at least one modern market in Kepong Press Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw (Petaling Jaya, Sunday): Just like other places in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur does not have a truly modern market. Because of various factors, people flock to open-air markets to buy things. Why can’t we have modern markets? If there is demand, there must be supply.  Hawkers and petty traders play an important part in the life and economy of a city. Hence, the Government should look after them, whether they are within or outside markets, licensed or unlicensed. There are people who throng 24-hour stalls including mamak stalls. This means that the Government has to cater for the demand of the public by setting up 24-hour stalls in places that don’t interfere with residents. In many places such as Kepong, the public, the hawkers and the petty traders wonder when the City Hall will clear the roadsides like Kepong and Kepong Baharu roads and give hundreds of hawkers alternatives. They wish City Hall can build hawkers’ centres and markets that are acceptable to most. Now, there are tens of thousands of hawkers in Malaysia including over 36,000 licensed hawkers in KL. They are in markets, hawkers’centres and roadsides. There are over 6,000 unlicensed hawkers. Kepong has over 3,000 stalls, concentrating in Jinjang Hnorth and South, Pekan Kepong, Kepong Baharu, Bukit Maluri, Menjalara and Kepong Road. The City Hall must relocate roadside hawkers. This year, the City Hall allocates RM888.5 million for operating expenditure and RM927.42 million as development expenditure. The Department of Hawkers and Petty Traders has over RM5 million operating expenditure. We hope that it can use the development expenditure to set up world-class hawkers’ centre and markets as models for the country. This is an objective of the draft Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan. Just as other parts of Malaysia, it is difficult to build multi-storied modern markets in KL. In the 70s last century, KL Central Market was shut down making way for tourists. The hawkers went three separate ways: one group to Gombak, one to Cheras and one to Taman Tun Dr Ismail. But, they don’t do so well. Jinjang North has a roofed market. However, for decades, most hawkers trade along the roadsides, outside the market. There are over 5,000 of them. In 1977, the City Hall allocated fund to rebuild the market. But, most hawkers did not agree. The money was used to build the market in Kampung Batu, next to the primary Chinese school. Then, in the 80s and 90s, further allocations were given for a new market at the existing site, the last one being about RM1 million in 1996. The project has been shelved. All concerned must try to find a solution to erect modern model market acceptable to most people. Why do open-air markets attract customers? Will modern model markets be able to replace them? As KL marches towards a world-class status, what choice have we? (1/6/2003) * Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong