SIBU: A permanent flea market would enrich Sibu with the trappings of a vibrant city for more income opportunities.
On this, former businessman Robert Tan suggested authorities should plan it for the long term instead of being just a fly-by-night operation at a temporary location.
“The locals will have opportunity to display and have a share of the business, especially school leavers. We must institute change,” said Tan, who is no stranger to flea markets across the globe.
He recalled that in Preston, London, where the population is reflective of Sibu, the flea market is a favourite haunt for locals and tourists.
It is a unique marketplace where pricing is affordable for a variety of usable collectibles ranging from household items, clothing, paintings or even to attend a simple cultural show.
The toys section and children playground with ice cream and popcorn vendors are favoured by families, he added.
“Fresh fruits will add to the attractions. Most locals will introduce the flea market to visitors. But the place must be clean with ample parking.”
Recently, an experimental flea market was in the offing at Kampung Bandong here to stimulate the area’s economic activities and provide small-time traders with more income opportunities.
In an earlier interview, programme coordinator Mohamad Safree Mohamad said if all went well, the plan was for the flea market to operate daily.
Safree was mindful that for now, it is being organised on an ad hoc basis through joint efforts between Sibu Bandong Community Development Association and Saberkas National Youth Organisation (Saberkas) Nangka branch.
He said the past few flea markets it organised attracted sizeable crowds.
To get the ball rolling, they were now targeting to have 10 stalls selling clothing, sewing products, and women’s accessories including perfume.
To recap, Assistant Minister for Science Research and Biotechnology, Dr Annuar Rapaee recently shared his observations that a flea market needed to be distinctive, selling unique items for it to be a crowd puller in order to thrive.
For that, he suggested operators move beyond food offerings to second-hand goods.
“For a start, we can sell items in our house that we no longer require. That should be the different way of having a flea market in Sibu.
“Otherwise, if we go too much into food, the public will not be able to differentiate flea market from ‘pasar malam’ (night market).
“Besides, people are more comfortable going for food in the night market,” Dr Annuar had said then.