Town square turned into a fruit market

SIBU: Sibu Municipal Council is taking hawkers of tropical fruits off the streets and five-foot-ways to relocate them in front of the pasar tamu next to the central market, turning the square there into a tropical fruit market.

Chairman of the council’s Standing Committee of Market and Petty Trader Chieng Buong Toon said the harvest of tropical seasonal fruits was plentiful with rambutans, durians, dabai, langsat and others flooding the market.

He said to better manage the trade of fruits and for the convenience of consumers, they were turning the square into a temporary fruit market.

“No more trading at the roadside and on five-foot-ways. Starting Tuesday, we are turning the square into a market for tropical fruits.”

Only seasonal tropical fruits were permitted to be sold here. Imported ones were not allowed.

He said the council would set up five canopies in the square for the hawkers.

“Each canopy will house six stalls. The rental for each is RM6 daily. For those with only a few bunches of fruits to sell, we shall charge them RM3 each daily.”

Chieng reminded traders to abide by the council rules and not trade outside the canopies.

“Keep the market clean and hygienic.”

He said they had put up the canopies yesterday afternoon and the hawkers would move in today.

“From now on, they must stay away from the streets and the five-foot ways to sell the fruits. Offenders will be compounded.”

A walk in town saw some streets lined with the tropical fruits.

Most hawkers said they were already aware of the requirement for them to trade at the square, and would move in to see whether the site was suitable.

Hawkers were even selling red dabai, which is usually black.

A hawker said they called the olives, ‘dabai jerenang’ in Iban.

Dabai is a tropical olive found growing on the banks of the Rajang River only.