The roadside hawker stalls are filled with customers parking to purchase the crops and produce there.
KOTA SAMARAHAN (Apr 25): Several hawkers here have expressed their support on the suggestion by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar James Jemut Masing on having a clear and sizeable area for them to sell their produce.
An observation conducted by The Borneo Post yesterday found that the hawkers were selling their produce at a roadside situated after the Batang Samarahan Bridge, not far from a ‘T’ junction leading to Asajaya, Sadong Jaya, and Jalan Kampung Semawang here.
When interviewed, most of the hawkers came from villages situated near the roadside hawker area such as Kampung Tambey and Kampung Naie Baru.
Roslina Man, 45, said she supported the suggestion as it will be convenient for her to store her produce instead of having to bring them to and from the current area where they sell their produce.
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“I have been selling here for more than four years right after the bridge was opened and we are used to selling our produce and crops here. The difficult thing is that I have to bring along all of my produce and crops back and forth from the village.
“Since I am living at Kampung Tambey which is near to this area – if there is a place provided then it would be easy to store the produce. If I were to leave it here, they will be stolen,” she said.
Should the government provide a suitable place for the hawkers here, Roslina said that this will be convenient for customers as the road will be congested with vehicles coming in to purchase their produce, especially during the weekends.
Her comments were also echoed by another hawker, 28-year-old Mohd Aidil currently living in Kampung Tambey.
Aidil, who has been selling his crops for more than a year, proposed that a parking space should also be built if the new site were to be constructed.
“I support and agree with the suggestion – however there should be a strategic place located near here where customers can park their cars instead of the roadside to prevent congestion,” he added.
Like Aidil, 56-year-old Timah Sojeng from Kampung Naie Baru here also supports the suggestion, adding that the new site for the hawkers to sell should have sufficient space for the customers to park their cars.
A single mother-of-eight, Timah who has been selling her pineapples for more than two years said she had to pull her stall inwards so that customers could park and purchase her produce.
“Although I feel comfortable already selling my produce here, having a new place to sell is better as I have to pull the stall inwards to give room for customers to park their cars.
“Well if the other hawkers here agree to this suggestion, then I will follow,” she added.
Depending on her produce, she said she only came here to sell them for three to four days a week. Sometimes, she added, she did not come there to sell if there are no pineapples.
“Sometimes if I do not have any supplies for pineapples, I take them from my friends (in the village) to provide for my family as I am a single mother. I have my youngest son and my daughter to help me tend to the stall here,” she added.
In a recent Facebook post, Masing said that the roadside after the Batang Samarahan bridge was filled with hawker stalls selling produce and crops such as pineapples, oranges, vegetables as well as fishmongers selling fresh fish.
He commented that the area was a hive of activity, adding that the local folks there have been ‘diligently working on their land and so were the fishermen on the coastal sea.’
“However, as a minister tasked to build roads to ensure smooth movement for road users, I am not too happy due to the traffic jam along these sites. I can understand the need of the local folks to earn extra honest income. I have no issue with that.
“Perhaps, it is advisable for the local authorities to provide and clear sizable area near where the hawkers of garden produce and fishermen are currently sited so they would not cause the jam as well as build water and toilet facilities there.
“This way, I will have smooth flow of traffic on the government roads that was build and, at the same time, small time stall traders can earn extra honest income,” he said.
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