TTDI market traders left in the dark - Part 2

Rocky situation: TTDI market traders want to meet the mayor urgently.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/2/27/central/10810796&sec=central (By S. PUSPADEVI, 27/2/2012)
Traders at the Taman Tun Dr Ismail market are concerned whether their licences will be renewed as Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) mayor Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail had called off a meeting scheduled today. TTDI Market Traders Association chairman Jenny Loo said she received a letter from the KL mayor on Feb 23 stating that the meeting had been called off without stating any reasons. “We are eager to meet the mayor and find out what is going on,” said Loo, adding that the letter had also stated that the LRT station would be built at the Caltex station, according to its original plan.
The matter was further aggravated when the TTDI Residents Association (RA) said traders would be at the losing end if they did not agree to the proposed redevelopment plan of the market. “A committee member of the RA had said DBKL had every right to ask the traders to leave since the market belonged to the City Hall. As such, I was asked to say yes to the plan,” Loo said. She added that the RA had e-mailed TTDI residents asking them to give their votes on the modernisation plan of the market.
The e-mail stated that the RA is proposing to have a new and modern market to include more facilities, a multi-storey carpark linked to the MRT station and longer operating hours. It also mentioned that the RA was not supporting a major redevelopment plan to turn the market into commercial lots or serviced apartments but wanted a traditional market. When redevelopment takes place, traders will be temporarily relocated to the open car park between Sinaran Condominium and Bangunan AHP.
“How can I agree to the plan when the traders have not given their consent? We have not even seen the proposed redevelopment plan. “We are not confident with the RA as there is no transparency at all. To what extent are they going to modernise the market?” asked Loo, adding that this had resulted in traders speculating if the new market would be privatised. Loo said they wanted to preserve the concept of a traditional market and would only welcome refurbishing plans such as improving the existing wiring system, increasing parking bays and disabled-friendly features, constructing a multi-storey carpark and a skybridge linking the MRT station to the market. “Maintenance of the market should also be improved apart from landscaping the area,” she said, adding that the new market should not adopt the concept of Tesco or Giant. There are more than 200 members in the TTDI Market Traders Association. “We want to meet the mayor to give us the clearer picture,” Loo added.
Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said he would welcome refurbishment plans provided that the traditional market concept remained.
It was reported in StarMetro on Feb 22 that the TTDI Market Traders Association sought an urgent meeting with the mayor following reports in the media quoting Fuad as saying that the market would be demolished as it was obstructing the MRT line and the site would be used for a mixed-development project.