AFTER a four-year delay, the historical Chow Kit wet market at Jalan Raja Bot will unveil its new look in 2021, said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

Its director of planning, Mahadi Che Mat, said the RM150 million modern market, which will be named Pasar Raja Bot, and upgraded with more facilities for the 1,527 traders in the area.

“The aim of redeveloping the market is to provide better facilities for the traders. It also part of our effort to upgrade old wet markets throughout the city,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The 63-year-old market’s redevelopment was first announced under an initial allocation of RM200 million in 2011 by then deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

The market, established in 1955, would be transformed into an iconic landmark, he said.

The project covering 48,000ha was initially scheduled for completion last year but ran into a roadblock when traders became unhappy over their relocation in addition to DBKL’s problems with the contractor.

Traders told DBKL that they would not vacate their lots at the old market until certain requests were fulfilled. These included building a transit market and they also wanted the temporary site to be ready before agreeing to leave their lots.

The delay was also caused by AJ Corp Sdn Bhd, the initial contractor, for the project. DBKL terminated its services in 2016 for failing to perform and meet the targets.

“The upgrading was funded by the federal government and we held an open tender for the project and it was awarded to AJ Corp.

“The contractor finished phase one of the project but was delaying phase two and that’s why it was terminated,” he said.

Sumpitan Plantations Sdn Bhd is now the contractor tasked with completing the upgrade.

“They are currently doing the ground works for phase two and the project is progressing smoothly,” Mahadi said.

The beginnings of the Chow Kit wet market, when Kuala Lumpur was just a “town”, can be traced at the National Archives.

It was the brainchild of then Kuala Lumpur Town Council member, Raja Muhamad Raja Alang, in the early 1950s. The proposal was brought to the Kuala Lumpur Town Council’s financial meeting in May 1953 and its construction approved.

A sum of 350,000 Malayan dollars were allocated for the construction of 350 stalls, making it the largest market in the Federal Territories.

It was launched by the late Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah AI-Haj in 1955.

The upgrading project will be carried out in four phases, which will include the wet market, dry market, utilities and an eight-storey car park with more than 500 parking bays.

“Phase one was completed in 2015, and some of the traders have been relocated to the transit market.”

The new, three-storey market will also adopt more environmentally friendly practices, Mahadi added.

“We will use rain water harvesting and there is also a storage for leachate where the water will be stored, recycled and then released into the river.

“This is a modern way to manage wastewater.”

The new market complex also includes a mini Urban Transformation Centre housing public amenities and covered walkways along Jalan Raja Bot, Jalan Raja Alang and to the Chow Kit Monorail station. 

This is the first market that is being upgraded in the city and DBKL are also looking to upgrade the markets at Pudu, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Gombak. – March 23, 2018.