Adapt to change, traders urged - Star

April 24, 2009 By CHRISTINA KOH

THE Perak Government wants to meet hawkers and traders at Gunung Rapat and Kampung Simee wet markets in Ipoh over the state’s plan to renovate the aging premises there.

State Adviser for Chinese Affairs, Datuk Chang Ko Youn said he was arranging a dialogue with over 100 hawkers who had expressed reluctance over the proposal to renovate and upgrade the premises.

Chang said he understood their sentiments’ as most had become comfortable with their surroundings although the structures dated back to the 1960s.

‘‘But they have to understand that they are competing with hypermarkets.

“People are already buying vegetables and provisions elsewhere nowadays.

“If these traders don’t change, their businesses will suffer losses, he said after launching a caring society campaign at Kampung Simee Home for the Aged at Ipoh recently.

He appealed to traders to think long term, adding that the state had already allocated RM5mil for the plan.

‘‘We are ready to start rebuilding whenever the traders are willing to cooperate. If they don’t want to, however, then we won’t go ahead,’’ he said.

Chang added that his role as an adviser to Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir was not limited to just giving advice on Chinese community affairs.

He pointed out that he was also assigned to handle economic, social and political matters of all communities.

‘‘We are working with certain proposals to energise the state economy and our plans help everyone, not just the Chinese.

“This is in line with the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s One Malaysia slogan,” he said.

On the caring society campaign, Chang commended the students of SMK Methodist (ACS) Ipoh for co-organising the get-together with Kelab Anak Malaysia Batu Gajah to cheer up the senior citizens of the home.