| Danial Norjidi |
THE moving of business operations from Tamu Kianggeh to Gadong will benefit vendors and customers alike, providing them an area that is better, cleaner, safer and more organised and comfortable, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) said.
The new area will become a single marketplace that has all the needs of the public in one place, the ministry said in a statement provided during a recent meeting between the MoHA, the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board and members of the media.
The statement shared the objectives of the move which include improving the business environment by providing more organised facilities and a cleaner location; giving more comfort to vendors and customers; providing vendors and customers a parking lot that is larger and closer to their place of business; as well as overcoming congestion that affects the movement of the public.
The statement also noted that every Friday and Sunday congestion is experienced along Jalan Kianggeh and the parking lot there, which also affects vehicle traffic routes.
“This congestion could obstruct the passage of emergency vehicles such as those of the Fire and Rescue Department and ambulances in the event of an emergency,” it said.
“There are vendors there who are selling in areas of Tamu Kianggeh that are not intended for such activities.”
Examples shared include: on the edge of stairs used to board boats, in the parking lot, on bridges, and on the side of walkways.
“Selling wares on the roadside not only obstructs people passing by but also poses a risk to both vendors and visitors.”
In addition, the parking lot next to Tamu Kianggeh has limited space. Given its limited space and the large number of visitors every Friday and Sunday, the parking lot there cannot cope with the visitors’ cars, which results in members of public double parking. This, in turn, causes road congestion.
The construction site for the Tamu II Gadong. – DANIAL NORJIDI
It is also noted that the congested area for vendors is also affecting the cleanliness of Tamu Kianggeh, because activities to keep the area clean cannot be conducted properly as a result of the limited space and vendors using public walking space to keep their wares.
On the topic of the advantages of the move from Tamu Kianggeh to Gadong, the statement highlighted that it will benefit the vendors by allowing them to utilise more modern and advanced infrastructure that can create a better business environment, which will also improve their sales.
It means a cleaner and healthier place for business to be conducted, it offers comfort to vendors and customers and also provides them with an area that has more space and is more organised to deal with marketplace congestion, the statement said.
A study conducted in November 2015 showed that there are 98 vendors who use registered spaces at Tamu Kianggeh. The same study also revealed that on Fridays and Sundays, there are 174 sellers.
As was reported in the Borneo Bulletin on December 23, four sites are being prepared in Gadong for use by vendors from Tamu Kianggeh when they move to the area.
Three of these sites are existing facilities, including the canopied Tamu Gadong for the sale of food and drinks, confectionery items and handicraft.
The canopied Tamu Gadong has 108 stalls under 18 tents, with six stalls per tent.
The stalls come with a number of facilities, including prepaid electricity and water meters as well as built-in counters to place various wares.
It also has a dedicated tent for cooking, along with two tents for the sale of satay, as well as its own public restrooms.
The other existing locations to be used are: the first floor of Pasar Gadong, specifically for the sale of dry foods and groceries; and the former meat and poultry building (located next to the Pasar Gadong building) for the sale of fruits and vegetables.
The fourth site, currently under construction, is known as Tamu II Gadong.
It is located across the road from the canopied Tamu Gadong, next to Sungai Menglait, and is an open area that will have space for 200 vendors under one large roof.
It will be able to accommodate 200 sellers for Tamu on Fridays and Sundays and will have a number of facilities including a prayer room, public restrooms, waste disposal, a loading bay, notice boards for each area and a guard post.
The relevant authorities are currently in the planning stages for the setting up of a dedicated bus service to the area.
The move from Tamu Kianggeh to Gadong will be taking place in March 2016.
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