By Christine T
KUCHING, Nov 5: Stutong Community Market’s nearly 18-year-old trading arrangement regulates the sale of pork by stall operators, with separate sections for pork and non-pork trading to accommodate traders and customers with different dietary and religious practices, said Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng.
Under the arrangement, the market’s upper-floor food court is divided into two sections – Block A, where stall operators are permitted to sell pork, and Block B, designated for non-pork trading. However, customers are free to purchase food and drinks from either section and dine at either location, with no restrictions on bringing food between the two blocks.
Wee’s clarification comes amid public discussion following a ‘No Pork No Power – Stutong Market’ Facebook Live recording shared by Raymond Thong on Nov 1, featuring Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan questioning why pork could not be sold at food stalls in Block B, the designated halal section.
In the recording, Voon questioned the need for the restriction, claiming that most customers at the market were Chinese and Dayak.
Responding to the issue, Wee highlighted Sarawak’s diversity and long-standing culture of inclusivity, stressing that the existing arrangement, which has been in place since July 1, 2008, was designed to accommodate traders and customers of different backgrounds rather than impose restrictions based on race or religion.
“If his concern is about the welfare of the traders and customers, he should identify the actual restriction he is challenging and check the facts with our council,” he said during a press conference at MBKS headquarters following the council’s Mayor’s Walk today.
Wee also pointed out that the trading conditions had always been clearly stated in the council’s vacancy advertisements, allowing prospective stall operators to understand the requirements before applying.
Emphasising the importance of respecting Sarawak’s multicultural society, Wee said the arrangement reflected the need to protect the interests of all communities.
“We are here to protect the interest and to respect all races in Sarawak. That is how, till today, we are still living in such a harmonious society because through culture, through respect, this is how we grow. So tolonglah (please), don’t cross the line,” he said.
“What makes Sarawak special is not that we have no differences, but that we have always known how to respect and accommodate those differences,” he added.
Wee said Sarawakians had long shared tables, enjoyed meals together and celebrated one another’s cultures while respecting different religious beliefs and dietary practices.
He acknowledged Voon’s decision to raise the matter, saying public facilities should remain open to constructive discussion, but urged that such discussions be based on an accurate understanding of the existing arrangements.
“There is always room for different opinions, but we should never allow misunderstandings to overshadow the harmony that generations of Sarawakians have worked so hard to build.
“Our diversity has always been our strength. Let us continue to respect our differences, appreciate what we share and preserve the harmony that makes Sarawak our home,” he said. – DayakDaily
