KUALA LUMPUR: The Ramadan and Deepavali bazaar has been relocated to the Dataran Merdeka heritage quarter to improve hygiene and ease traffic congestion at its original location on Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
Federal Territories Deputy Minister Datuk Shahruddin Md Salleh said the construction of a pedestrian walkway on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Masjid India was another reason for the relocation.
In response to a question from Datuk Abdul Rahman Mohamad (BN-Lipis), he said the process was being fully supervised by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), which is also responsible for managing the stalls.
The bazaar is the focal point of Malay and Indian shoppers during the two festivals.
“The new location will be more orderly compared with the previous area. It will help ease the congestion on Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
Last week, Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan announced that the bazaar would now stretch from the Jalan Gereja traffic lights junction to Leboh Pasar Besar.
To a supplementary question, Shahruddin assured that the bazaar in Bukit Jalil would not be relocated.
Last month, the traders at the bazaar urged the Federal Territories Ministry to revoke its decision to site them elsewhere, given that they had been there for 35 years already and they traded there only once a week.
Most traders are unhappy with the move. Associations representing them have also complained about the new online application system for lots. They even threatened to stage a protest and to continue trading in Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman, illegally if necessary.
