CENTRAL MARKET OR CENTRAL GARBAGE?

KK CENTRAL market recently started some minor renovation and cleaning up work in the 1st floor food stall kitchens. Very unfortunately the work has resulted in grouses and complaints from the customers and food store operators.

They have made their complaints to the KKMP office regarding the various issues and complaints arising from the renovation job. Basically, the food stall operators said they are worried about the long period taken to carry out the renovation work on the replacement of the wall and floor tiles, cleaning up of the ventilation chute in the cooking area and removing all the broken cupboards.

The operators also said that even though the work is being phased out into different sectors, the first sector had already taken up too long time. There is one month delay. They worry that the three month work could face further delay if the contractor uses only a few workers like the first sector.

It is observed that today on the start of the second sector, there were only two workers while it should be twenty workers to do the work at one go, said Mdm Wong. She also said when can the DBKK complete the work like this. The contractor must go full swing and bring in all his men to do the work.

The area under sector 1 had taken 1 extra month, and will the other sector take even longer. That means the food stalls will suffer many more months of no income, if the work delayed.

MP Hiew said there are many other complaints from the people in the market which includes the removal of the storage cupboards, broken down fans, insufficent lighting, broken chairs and tables.

After inspecting the market food stalls, Hiew said the people is correct. DBKK should provide a durable lockable strong cupboard for them each to store their thing. The chairs and tables are in very bad conditions and needed immediate repair or replacement.

A customer eating there shown the MP his foot that was cut by the table leg, and asked whether he can claim damages from DBKK. The sector 1 which had been completed with the work is also very dirty and not cleaned up. All the fans were not washed and the faulty water tapes were not replaced. The power points were also not being repaired.

During the visit, a few big rats were spoted in the kitchen, the DBKK should catch them and ensure that in the future there will be no more rats in this food court.

MP Hiew urges the Mayor of KK City Hall to go to see for himself on the condition there, and make arrangements to ensure the work is completed earliest possible to avoid the food stalls operators lossing heavily on their income.

Three months of no income is too hard for them. DBKK should also consider to do night work extra hours with additional workers of at least twenty. It will be advisable to repaint some of the dirty wall at the same time, since the food court is closed for renovation.

Hiew said the renovation done by the DBKK in the KK central market is in no way satisfactory, and he hopes this can be improved at once.