Ripin (right) visits a stall at Tamu Kedayan.
MIRI: Miri City Council (MCC) and the relevant agencies should hold a dialogue with traders at Tamu Kedayan.
This was suggested by political secretary to the chief minister, Ripin Lamat, during his walk-about at the marketplace yesterday morning.
“A proper dialogue with all of the 102 traders should be organised by MCC to give the traders a clearer picture on why the ‘tamu’ has to be demolished,” he said to the media.
During the visit, the Lambir assemblyman observed that most of the traders were still in the dark over their future once the marketplace is demolished.
“Basically, the traders only got the idea that the building will be demolished and traders will be relocated to a temporary place.”
He said the traders were expected to trade at the new site for between two and five years before a new location is ready.
At the same time, he hoped the temporary marketplace will be at a strategic location, with easy access and good facilities.
He also requested that the traders be charged fairly for rental fee once they move to the permanent location.
“I hope the problem faced by hawkers of Tanjong Lobang will not be repeated at the new Tamu Kedayan,” he stressed.
On a related matter, Ripin said some of the traders also suggested that they be allowed to trade at the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) new building once it is completed.
Tamu Kedayan, mostly dominated by Bumiputera traders, has been one of the attractions for locals to get a wide variety of traditional food ingredients and jungle produce since the 1970s.