Wet market will serve folk better

Lim Lip Eng says taps and pipes at the abandoned food court have been stolen.

Empty: The Medan Selera Sri Sinar was built four years ago.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles (By Halim Said, 22/12/2010)
Residents of Taman Sri Sinar, Segambut, want City Hall to turn the neighbourhood white elephant into something useful -- a wet market. The four-year-old Taman Sri Sinar food court in Jalan 38A has been vacant since it ceased operations last year.
Yeoh Boon Day, 49, a fruit seller, said the food court's poor location and lack of visibility made it unpopular with the residents."It is situated behind a business area. Moreover, the residents here are spoilt for choice as there are many food outlets here," he said. Yeoh said the food court could be turned into a wet market as residents had to travel 5km to the nearest wet market in Kepong Baru. "Only a night market operates here once a week," said Yeoh , who was representing the residents to convey the suggestion to Segambut member of parliament Lim Lip Eng.

Lim, who visited the food court on Tuesday, said City Hall must be proactive in keeping the food court in business. "The place looks clean and neat but closer inspection shows that taps and urinals have been stolen in the toilets. The stainless steel wording on the food court sign post has also been vandalised. "As the food court is vacant, it is becoming a hangout for undesirable characters," said Lim. He said all 10 stalls in the food court stopped operation a month after the food court opened in 2007. The food court had failed to attract customers. "It was re-launched in 2009 with only a single stall operating there. It, too, did not last more than a month before shutting down, which leaves the food court unutilised until now," he said.
City Hall's recently announced budget had an allocation of RM95,000 for the maintenance of the food court next year, said Lim. "I've been told that City Hall is outsourcing the management of the food court, for those who are able to run it. Application can be made at City Hall's petty trader management department," he said.
Although vacant, the food court has a security guard and a cleaner hired by City Hall.

Food court in Segambut needs new management

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro (By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ, 24/12/2010)
The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is planning to out- source the management of the Medan Selera Sri Sinar footcourt in Segambut. The RM1mil food court, owned and maintained by the DBKL, was built four years ago, however, it was never occupied. It has 10 stalls and 144 seats. Initially, rental for each stall was RM250, but since it received no response, it was reduced to RM155.

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said DBKL tried to get tenants for the food court but no one was interested. “I was told that DBKL tried to launch the place twice in 2007 and 2009, but the feedback was bad. However, the City Hall is still maintaining the food court. “Although it’s been four years, the food court is clean,” he told reporters on Tuesday. He added that the DBKL 2011 budget allocated RM95,000 for the food court’s maintenance. “After trying to manage the food court for the past years, DBKL will outsource to a third party. They can take over, renovate and market the place.

“I am calling those interested to consider this proposal because the food court is good condition and will go to waste if not used,” he said.