SANDAKAN: Elopura Assemblyman Calvin Chong called to prioritise the welfare of market traders amid the ongoing market upgrade here.
The call follows complaints and grievances voiced by traders after heavy rain hit the Kim Fung town area, Monday, which impacted their daily operations.
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He stressed that any plan or market upgrading project should not be implemented without considering its impact on traders, who are the backbone of the local economy.
“Traders should not be the ones to bear the consequences of weaknesses in project planning or implementation. Their welfare must be the top priority,” he said.
He also demanded that contractors and relevant departments provide full assurance on the quality of construction work, while ensuring there is no negligence, non-compliance with specifications or shortcuts that could compromise the safety and comfort of traders and market users.
Calvin also stressed that contractors are responsible for providing adequate temporary trading sites and tents throughout the construction period, without burdening traders with additional costs or forcing them to provide such facilities using their own funds.
He added that all long-standing issues that were previously unresolved must be fully addressed in the current upgrading project.
“An approach of postponing solutions to a later phase is unacceptable and will only continue to burden the traders,” he added.
Calvin gave his assurance that he will continue to monitor developments related to the issue and raise the matter with the relevant authorities to ensure that traders’ voices are heard and their welfare is consistently protected.
