By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Nov 15: The upgrading works for the Kueh Siak Hong Hawker Centre here aims to improve the social economy status of business owners and create a modern dining environment, says Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng.
The mayor today handed over the project site for the upgrade of the Kueh Siak Hong Hawker Centre to its appointed contractor, Liscorp Services, noting that the contract sum is RM538,000, with the project allocation being RM500,000 from the Ministry of Local Government Development Malaysia under the Gerai Madani programme and an additional RM38,000 from the MBKS Trust Fund.
“I would like to point out that it is important to note that the project implementation will commence upon the submission of the detailed work programme by the contractor.
“The project will be anticipated to be completed within two months (Jan 13, 2024).
“During this period, the Council would like to advise the stall operators of the temporary closure of stalls to facilitate the upgrading work,” he said today at the Kueh Siak Hong Hawker Centre before handing over the project site to the contractor.
Wee continued: “In fact, I have spoken to them, and I am very happy that some of them will operate in their homes, and the satay and fried mee stalls will operate at KY Cafe.
“So this is what we want to see, while the construction work is ongoing and everything, they can still earn an income, and we have to be thankful to the nearby KY shop that is willing to host them.
“We would also like to seek cooperation from the public and express gratitude for the understanding regarding the potential inconvenience caused, especially from the public, the business owners, and also the nearby residents.”
The public can provide feedback through official MBKS request channels such as the MBKS Hotline (082-354200), WhatsApp (016 879 6441), or I-people in order to ensure clear communication.
“The initiative goes beyond a simple physical transformation. It signifies a government effort to improve the social economy status of business owners and foster a modern dining atmosphere.
“I think this one (Kueh Siak Hong Hawker Centre) is definitely more than 30 years old, and has not undergone any upgrades since it was built.
“So we hope that everyone will work together and cooperate fully to ensure the successful and impactful realisation of this transformation. We also hope that everyone can work together to shape a better future for our community.
Wee also mentioned the Council’s subsidy of almost a million for hawkers, which aims to create social economic opportunities, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. — DayakDaily
