KUALA Lumpur City Hall is in the final stages of developing a strategic plan to build a better and modern wholesale market, said Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa. 

He said City Hall is studying the design and operations of wholesale markets in more developed countries like Japan and South Korea before embarking on a similar project here.

“It is time for KL to have a modern wholesale market.

“City Hall is looking at building a more modern market that will include the use of green technology as well as the use of more machinery,” Annuar said after visiting the wholesale market in Selayang today.

He said traders need a better place to operate as the current market is 30 years’ old.

The cost of a spanking new market at the same location will cost between RM200 million and RM300 million. City Hall is targeting to complete the development by the end of next year. 

“We are looking at a multi-storey complex with car parks. 

“I’ve given City Hall a deadline where work is expected to start this year,” Annuar added.

On the issue of foreign workers at the KL wholesale market, Annuar reiterated that traders should stop hiring them.

Traders, however, had said locals were not interested in working at the market. This was evident when many signed up earlier but left after several days, citing various reasons.

To encourage traders to hire only locals, City Hall would take up 10 units from a building nearby to be used as accommodation for the local workers. 

Annuar said workers who live far from the market and work odd hours, can stay at the accommodation provided so that they can save on transport and go to their workplace easily.

Annuar said the wholesale market must be closed once a week for sanitisation and cleaning works.

He said the traders, upon discussion with City Hall, can determine the day the market can be closed.

“Sanitisation should not only be done during a pandemic like Covid-19 but it should be a continuous affair.

“We have to learn from the pandemic on maintaining good hygiene. This must be the new norm post-movement-control order,” Annuar added. – June 30, 2020.