KUALA LUMPUR: Construction of a new parking lot at Kompleks Pasar Raja Bot, also known as the Chow Kit market, should be bought forward to ensure the survival of traders.
Titiwangsa member of parliament Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said essential facilities such vehicle parking spaces should have been developed before proceeding with the construction of the project.
He said this must be considered prevent the new market from "dying" due to various issues, particularly the lack of adequate parking.
This situation has caused many traders in the area to be reluctant to move to the new building as there have been lukewarm response from customers, he said.
"I suggest rearranging the phases (of the upgrading project). It is understood that the parking construction is placed in the final phase, which is the fourth phase.
"If it is done this way, the market will be ready, but there will be no parking. So who will come to the market? Some traders complain that their daily sales are only RM10, RM20—how can they survive?" he said during a visit to Kompleks Pasar Raja Bot, here, today.
Also present were Federal Territory Bumiputera Traders Association president Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman and the JalannRaja Bot Malay Petty Traders and Hawkers Association branch head Sharin Darus.
There are four phases in the development of the complex. The first phase involves construction of commercial space for fruit and vegetable traders, which was fully completed on April 25 2016.
In March last year, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, in a written response in Parliament, said the remaining three phases involving wet goods and food traders, phase three for various food traders, and phase four for parking spaces, are expected to be fully completed by Oct 12, 2025.
Johari, who is also the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, emphasised the need to focus on the survival of traders who facing difficulties in continuing their businesses, as they have been waiting too long for the market upgrade to be completed.
"I cannot blame the traders' associations here because they have been in business for a long time and even agreed to the development here. However, because this development took too long —over 10 years—many customers have disappeared.
"So, it is not their fault. The new Kompleks Pasar Raja Bot has four floors, but who will come if there is not enough parking?
"That's why parking needs to be developed in this area first. While the market is being completed, we also need to discuss about relocating the traders temporarily," he said.
Johari has requested the three traders' groups in the area to come to an agreement and to provide several personnel from the Malaysian Volunteer Corps Department (Rela) to control traffic to manage congestion in several roads near the market.
To expedite the proposal for the construction of parking spaces, he said a meeting involving related parties, including Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the appointed contracted, will be held next Friday.
"Next Friday, I will discuss with DBKL to get an overview of how many ( traders ) will be involved in the temporary relocation to facilitate the construction of the parking spaces.
"So, with the parking construction, traders will no longer have an excuse (such as refusing to move to the new complex) because people will come to shop," he said.