MBJB impressed by efficiency, cleanliness of Stutong Market

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Yahya (third right) interacting with a vegetable hawker at Stutong Market during a visit by the MPBJ delegates. Also seen are (from right) Chan and Md Ali.

KUCHING: The delegation from Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) came away from their visit to Stutong Market yesterday with some good ideas on how to improve on their own markets back home.

MBJB council member (non-governmental organisation) and hawkers zone coordinator Zaini Atan said that it was a good learning experience, to which he highly encouraged other local authorities to visit and learn from Kuching City South Council (MBKS).

“People still need to continue learning and this is a good place to learn,” he told reporters during a press conference held after their tour here.

The 35-member delegation from Iskandar Malaysia included hawkers, representatives from hawkers association, as well as councillors and department heads.

According to MBJB Chief Whip Datuk Yahya Jaafar, the Stutong Market outing was actually not a part of their itinerary; instead, they made a special request to drop by and observe the actual operation there.

“I can see that Kuching City South Mayor Datuk James Chan is easy to approach, which is a good example of a leader,” he said.

Meanwhile, MPJB secretary Md Ali Alwee noted that for a seven-year-old trading centre, Stutong Market was very clean with sufficient allocation of rubbish bins.

“There is even CCTV (closed-circuit television), which other markets don’t have. Even the ceilings are clean, with no cobwebs.”

The MPJB group was visiting the state capital to exchange ideas and experience on city planning and development with their counterparts here, as well as to learn from each other on best practices towards making a city healthy and liveable.