Refurbishing of Penang markets a chance for unlicensed traders to legalise business

GEORGE TOWN: The process of refurbishing markets provides the chance for unlicensed market traders to legalise their businesses according to Penang Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow (pix).
He said additional stalls could be built so those without licenses could apply for a proper place to trade their wares.
He said this was an approach taken by the state government to address the issue of unlicensed traders selling their wares outside markets.
Chow said the state has initiated 24 market upgrading projects since 2008 and more were in the pipeline.
He said the latest project of upgrading the Lebuh Campbell wet market was still ongoing and completion of the RM5million project was expected soon.
"This (upgrading markets) is one of our initiatives to solve the issue of unlicensed traders," he said in his speech before joining Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to open a new RM27million market in Sungai Ara.
Lim said the construction of the two-storey facility was completed in December last year and business was expected to begin within the next three months.
He urged traders and patrons to ensure the market was kept clean and to ensure guidelines on hygiene were adhered too in his speech.
Facilities within the complex includes 25 food stalls, 44 stalls for market traders and a multi-purpose hall with three badminton courts.