Market consigned to history

KUCHING: Residents will soon bid farewell to the Satok Market — its last day of trading is at the end of the month.

Some 1,000 traders are to begin moving to the new and modern Medan Niaga Satok in Kubah Ria here starting Dec 15.

Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) mayor Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai said the relocation would be celebrated with a countdown and the lighting of the Satok Bridge along with a festival at Medan Niaga Satok.

“Our bridge will be like the one in Paris. All lit up and looking beautiful. This celebration is being organised by Satok PBB, headed by (Tourism Minister) Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg,” he told reporters at a DBKU function for supporters and community partners yesterday.

He said the old market would be demolished and a park would be built in its place.

Abdul Wahap said the new market would be managed by the Federal Agriculture and Marketing Authority (Fama) and it would be educating the traders on how to operate at the new market.

“Medan Niaga Satok was built equipped with modern facilities which supports environmental-friendly methods. For instance, food hawkers would be taught how to dispose of used cooking oil properly and the oil would be processed into biogas. So there are some things which need getting used to but it’s all worth it if we want to have a clean and proper disposal system,” he explained.

He said at the moment, the old market had been seen as the main cause of pollution to Sungai Bintangor given waste water from the old market flowed into it.

As such, he said it was necessary for the Satok market to relocate for Sungai Bintangor to recuperate.

Abdul Wahap admitted that some traders were reluctant to move, probably due to sentimental reasons or that they feared they would lose business if they were operating on the other side of Sungai Sarawak.

However, he reasoned that a good trader would always have the support of his or her loyal customers despite trading elsewhere.

The RM47mil Medan Niaga Satok has close to 2,000 trading lots.

The centre accommodates a Fama support centre, a farmers' market, a wet and dry market, plaza and cafeteria as well as a food court.