Abang Johari (second left) sharing his opinion with officials from Fama and his ministry during his visit to Medan Niaga Satok. — Photo by Kong Jun Liung
KUCHING: Business volume at Medan Niaga Satok can reach RM100 million once all the upgrading works on its facilities and infrastructure are fully completed in two years’ time.
This positive outlook was expressed by Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, who also said business volume at Medan Niaga Satok last year was about RM62 million and that the place had increasingly become an iconic destination not only for the locals but also tourists.
“Before we moved the traders here (Medan Niaga Satok), there were sceptics. People said that this place will not be successful and a lot of people didn’t want to move.
“With the RM62 million business volume we have now, I expect more businesses will be coming in after this,” he said in a press conference at the state Fama office located near Medan Niaga Satok, here, yesterday.
Abang Johari, who is also Tourism Minister, said currently Medan Niaga Satok had 1,251 traders, with 824 trading at the weekend community market section. He also said it had a capacity to accommodate up to 1,454 traders.
Based on feedbacks from the public and traders, he said the government had decided to upgrade the infrastructure and facilities to make the place more conducive for both shoppers and traders.
“The upgrading works are made possible through the additional allocation of RM13.475 million by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when he launched Medan Niaga Satok on Jan 28, last year.”
Some of the upgrading works had started and the project is expected to be completed by June next year, and priority would be given to providing roofing instead of canopy at the weekend community market to give more comfort to traders and shoppers, he added.
“There will also be a little bit of renovation exercise at Block E or ‘benteng’ area so that there will be more space and good flow of customers at that particular area. It will be connected to the weekend community market.”
Also to be upgraded will be access to Medan Niaga Satok area and parking facilities to ensure smooth traffic flow and sufficient parking spaces, he said.
“As for parking, we will construct a multi-storey car park with the capacity of 200 parking spaces. We will limit the duration of parking because we don’t want people to park at the facility for too long, as it will deprive others from using the facility.”
Those parking at the car park, he added, may be required to pay a nominal fee similar to the one implemented in public parking areas.
“We will put up a 40 feet x 18 feet electronic billboard at one of the Medan Niaga Satok areas, which is one of the biggest electronic billboards in Malaysia. It will cost us quite substantial and it will be installed this year.”
As part of the efforts to upgrade the city and add to its tourism pull, he said the government had embarked on the construction of the S-bridge from Pengkalan Batu and was requesting for funds to upgrade Brooke Dockyard, which has a heritage value.
“After we have finished everything, we may try to reinstate the Satok suspension bridge.
“That will be implemented later because we have to beautify the area at Kampung Kudei and Sungai Kudei with greeneries to improve the ambience at Medan Niaga Satok,” said the Satok assemblyman.