KUCHING: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) is getting close and personal with the city’s hawker centres as the festive season approaches.
At a Chinese New Year celebration cum appreciation gathering at Bintawa Hawker Centre on Saturday (Feb 7), Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng said the event aims to bring together hawkers and stallholders with the aim of recognising their years of service to the community.
The gathering, which follows a similar event held at Sungai Apong last week, is part of a series of appreciation dinners planned for hawker centres across the city, with Kenyalang and various markets next on the schedule.
Wee highlighted the council’s commitment to supporting the hawker community, noting that MBKS has maintained stable rental rates and continues to invest in improving facilities whenever grants become available.
“We have never increased our rental (fees), and from time to time we try to improve the environment and make the area better whenever we have the grants,” he explained.
Described as a “reunion dinner,” the gathering brought together hawkers from various locations within the vicinity, along with city councillors and market management officers.
The event aimed to foster connections and provide a platform for vendors to share concerns and suggestions for improvements.
“We want to get everybody connected. We want to get everybody to share whatever they need to be improved in this market, or whatever problem they are facing, or whatever they want to reach out to us,” Wee said.
He stressed that such events are not one-off initiatives but part of an ongoing effort to maintain close communication with the hawker community.
The mayor revealed that he regularly visits markets not merely for meals but to ensure vendors know that help is always accessible.
“The council has implemented multiple channels for hawkers to reach out, including mobile services that visit markets regularly.
“There is no reason to not being able to reach us,” Wee said.
In keeping with the community spirit of the event, all food served was prepared by the hawkers themselves, with MBKS providing the capital for ingredients.
Vendors showcased various local delicacies including kueh muih, satay, and other traditional favourites.
“You let everybody feel that there’s a sense of belonging. This place is yours. You are in the family. And we are, as a city council, part of your family too,” Wee said.
