Traders cannot afford to set up stall at the RM20mil market

Friday, 13 January 2012 08:24

The Wisma Lee In Bak market complex touted to be the largest private market in Ipoh and the state when it was built in 2002, remains a white elephant.

A check by The Star showed that only a small eatery was operating at the RM20mil market in Taman Menglembu Impiana Adril.

The wet market area was left empty and idle — a far cry from the 600 traders it had anticipated to accommodate over a 3.2ha area.

Built with a high roof for ample natural lighting and ventilation, the complex also has a large lobby area meant for exhibitions and an open-air courtyard for social and cultural activities.

Stall operator Abdul Latif Zainal Aziz, 42, said he had been selling food at the complex since it opened.

“From the beginning, there were hardly any stall here.

“The handful of stalls that opened then has since closed down.

“Slowly but surely, the traders left because there were no customers,” said Abdul Latif, who is renting the stall from his cousin.

The signboards of previous businesses that operated there are still visible.

Abdul Latif said there were not many activities at the area surrounding the complex, which was perhaps the reason why it was unable to attract customers.

“There is no purpose for people to come by here,” he said, adding that he still survived on business generated from regular customers.

He added that the only other stall operating at the complex was another eatery, which opened only at night.

In 2009, there were efforts made to revive the complex.

The developer of the complex had then agreed to waive the maintenance fees for the first six months, but that too failed to garner interest from traders, especially those operating at the Menglembu wet market, located 1km away.

Trader Cheong Hew Lin, 55, who sells nyonya kuih at the wet market, said not only was the area too quiet but most residents were already familiar with the existing wet market in Menglembu town.

“I would not think of moving to the complex. I do not think my business would make it there,” Cheong said when asked if he would consider trading at the complex should the developer offer additional perks.

A vegetable seller, who only wanted to be known as Wong, expressed relief that she had not moved to the complex when offered a lot there years back.

“We were told then that the Menglembu wet market would be torn down but look at it now. The wet market is still standing,” she said.

Wong added that the RM40,000 asking price for each lot was too high.

“It is absurd. How can we afford to come up with that amount of money?

“Here at the wet market, we are only paying RM200 annually for each of our lots,” Wong added.

From The Star