A general view of the Selayang Baru Market October 2, 2019. — Picture by Hari Anggara

SELAYANG, Oct 3 — In the Selayang Baru Market and its surrounding areas, hundreds of traders who have set up shop — some of them for decades — found themselves forced to move to a new building by the end of this week, with the surrounding land set to be re-developed.

But not all are guaranteed space in the new market. There is a long list of problems that need fixing before they can even move. To top it all off, the traders are left in the dark by the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) and the developer, leading to a spectrum of emotion that runs from anger, disbelief, to heartache.

Food stall operator Awie Gudang, 62, first opened up business at a food court just by one of the market’s parking spaces in 1986. He had to himself go to the MPS office earlier this week, to ascertain whether he had been one of the lucky ones to be granted a space in the new building.

“I was told this would not be the case. And it is not just me, as I am one of seven food stall owners in the space. All of us did not get the offer to move,” he told Malay Mail.

According to Awie, MPS said there is just not enough space for all of them.

Food stall owners Awie Gudang (left) and Puteri Sabariah Megat Wazir are struggling to relocate as they were not offered a spot in the new market building. — Picture by Hari Anggara

“They told me there are simply too many people to inform, and they cannot alert everyone. This I find quite ridiculous.

“Mind you we built the stalls ourselves, roofs and all. We just pay the annual license fee to MPS. This lack of word has left us blindsided, without enough time to look for other places to relocate,” he said, adding that the mere process of moving out will heavily impact their finances.

Awie’s fellow food stall operator Puteri Sabariah Megat Wazir, 54, who has been running her business since 1990, said she even lost her temper when confronting the developer at its office several days ago.

“I told them, how dare you treat us like illegal squatters? You never contacted us to offer help in relocating elsewhere. And had I not seen the notice at the MPS office when Awie and me were there yesterday, informing those who did not qualify for space at the new market to appeal, I would have never known.

“As it were, I have to temporarily move to a friend’s shop, slightly further from here. If you want to develop the land I am not against it but do not trouble us in doing so, as we are already reaching our golden years. Surely they cannot expect us to run our businesses by the side of the road,” she said.

An aerial view of the Selayang Baru Market and its vicinity October 2, 2019. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Not a word for years

The development would affect an area of around nine hectares, which not only includes the wet market, morning market and food court, but also a futsal court where local youths hang out daily, the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) centre, and the Rural Project (PLB) stalls that it runs.

The project began as early as 2007, but hit a snag in 2009 when the Selangor state government historically changed hands to Pakatan Harapan a year prior. As a result, the new market building called Selayang Baru MPS Market which was then already constructed, was subsequently left derelict for well over a decade.

It was only in April this year that traders found out the project is back on track, and that they were supposed to vacate their old premises by September 30 and move into the new market by this Saturday, October 5.

But the traders claim that neither MPS nor the developer has even bothered to inform them properly, and nothing was heard in the last decade until earlier this year.

Tailor Wong Mee Lan, who has been operating her shop along Jalan 11B for over two decades, may have to look elsewhere to ply her trade. — Picture by Hari Anggara

A short distance from the food court lies Jalan 11a, a small road lined with single-storey tailor shops, sundry goods shop, barbers, and bicycle repair workshops. One such shop belongs to tailor Wong Mee Lan, 62, who has been there for close to 25 years.

The daughter of a tailor, she eventually opened up her own business and in the years since has developed a strong network of clients and fellow traders. As with Awie and Puteri Sabariah, Wong said she had heard nothing about the project until the banner informing traders to vacate their premises went up in early August.

“No letter from MPS, not even a single damn word, and suddenly this. Of course I am unhappy with the situation,” she said when met outside her shop.

On the opposite end of the road lies the sundry goods shop ran by G. Parvethiamah, 58. Selling clothes, beauty products, and prayer items for Selayang’s ethnic Indian community, she is one of Pasar Selayang Baru’s second-generation traders.

Sundry goods shopkeeper G. Parvethiamah says she will have to drastically scale down her business since her allocated spot is far smaller than her current premises. — Picture by Hari Anggara

“I have been running this place for over 30 years, but it was my late parents who first set it up some 55 years ago when everything around here was quite new. Business is quite stable, and becomes especially brisk around Deepavali time since everyone here knows me,” she said, while manning the counter.

As with Wong, Parvethiamah was also kept in the dark about things. However, MPS did offer her a place at the new market.

The traders claimed that the selection process is not transparent, with nearly half of the affected traders having no chance to secure any spot.

A space too small for trade

But even if she were offered a spot at the new market, Wong said she would likely have to reject it as the space is too small to fit her entire business operation — a common recurring theme that resulted from the lack of consultation with traders.

“Based on what they have, I would be lucky if I can even fit my trusty old measuring table into the entire space. That is how small it is, as the developer seems to have simply built the market building as they saw fit without taking into consideration the different needs and requirements of each business.

“I can only ask the council and the developer to understand our plight. Someone like me can move elsewhere, but there are many familiar faces around here. Why should I leave when I spent my best years here,” she said, adding that come what may, she will have to accept the reality.

A patron is pictured at a hair salon near the Selayang Baru Market October 2, 2019. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Parvethiamah feels the same way.

“Frankly, it is just not big enough. My current location measures at roughly 20x20 square feet. The place they offered me only comes up to 8x7 square feet, which is unbelievably small and cannot fit over half of my products for sale.

“Still I consider myself fortunate, as others were not so lucky and were not offered a spot. Yet now I am unsure if my children will take over from me, as they are willing to do so for the current location. But the new space is too small, which makes it not worth it,” she said.

In contrast, nasi lemak and fried chicken shopkeeper Nor Samad Samsudi, 50, said he has turned down MPS’ offer to relocate, after thinking long and hard about it for a week.

Situated along a row of single-storey shops, several metres away from the food court near the parking lot, Samad began working at the market in his late teens, starting in 1985.

“Back then I juggled two jobs, working for a chicken meat trader in the morning and then washing dishes at my aunt’s restaurant later in the day. From there I worked my way up, and when my aunt retired I bought over her shop in 1997 and made it my own.

“I had to turn the offer down as it was 8x7 square feet. My establishment now already measures at 22x22 square feet, there is no way it is possible to fit in. Trying to do so will cause me to operate at a financial loss, which I cannot afford,” he said, adding that all of his 12 employees are his family members who depend on him.

Nasi lemak and fried chicken seller Nor Samad Samsudi (left) has opted against taking up MPS’ offer to relocate. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Despite that, Samad is one of the few traders who found out about the situation early on, in his case at the end of May. This enabled him to make arrangements to rent another place, also within the vicinity.

“I can only start moving into that place from October 16 onwards. But at least I can run my business as I see fit, as I only begin operating in the late afternoon. Plus the location offered to me in the new market building was on the first floor, which makes it difficult for my customers.

“However I cannot but help feel dissatisfied for the sake of my friends, who may not be so lucky. Ask anyone of us, we all consider development to be a good thing, but not when it happens like this.

“All of us are decent, hard-working, honest folk, and we deserve better than this,” he said.