Bumi traders back relocation of Tamu Kedayan traders dislodged by development

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MIRI: The Miri Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Association Sarawak (PBMS) is giving its full support on the proper relocation of Tamu Kedayan traders to a temporary facility in the heart of this city.

Currently, some 200 operators comprising Malays, Ibans and Kedayans are trading on a site behind China Street here, slated for the construction of a new Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) building which would commence very soon.

It has been proposed that the new location for the market would be at the Miri Marina Park.

PBMS president Abdul Hadi Arbie said during a meeting with the corporation last year, the association had stated clearly on the need to have a temporary ‘tamu’ (market selling farming and jungle produce) with proper roofing and concrete stalls for the traders to move in, before the demolition of Tamu Kedayan to make way for the new SEDC building.

“Apart from that, we have had several meetings with SEDC and MCC (Miri City Council) on matters pertaining to the affected Tamu Kedayan traders,” he told The Borneo Post recently.

Abdul Hadi’s comments came on the heels of a protest staged by Tamu Kedayan traders together with several members of the local Malaysian Islamic Propagation and Welfare Organisation (Pekida), claiming that PBMS had been neglecting their interest in the issue.

“This is not true. The association has brought the matter up to SEDC and MCC for further action. Also, we have been highlighting on the need to have a temporary trading site Miri Centre Point but till today, nothing has been done.

Last week, Lambir assemblyman Ripin Lamat, who is also political secretary to chief minister, visited Tamu Kedayan to gain input from the operators regarding problems on the ground.

After the outing, he urged MCC to continue holding dialogues with the traders so that all issues could be addressed and solved accordingly.

He also urged the council to identify and prepare a proper temporary trading place before relocating the ‘tamu’ operators.

“If MCC just allocated them a place without proper facilities and at a non-strategic area, their business would be adversely affected, given that they are merely smallholders selling jungle produce – they don’t earn much,” he said.

Badul Hadi said the main problem for the traders was that the new site at Miri Marina had yet to be ready.

“Nothing is being built there at the moment; the same goes for the proposed temporary site. With the construction of the new SEDC building to begin very soon, these traders will have nowhere to go after their trading site gets demolished.”

On the other hand, Abdul Hadi also called for calm among the ‘tamu’ traders, urging them to think things through more positively.

“The traders need to understand that they have to follow the mainstream of development of Miri city,” he added.