New location not conducive for business

IN A TIGHT SPOT: Traders at the Kampung Bakar Batu night market say the place is cramped

Traders at the Kampung Bakar Batu night market are finding it hard to run their business at their new location as the area is cramped. Pic by Mohamad Fahd Rahmat

JOHOR BARU: MORE than 30 traders at the Kampung Bakar Batu night market are claiming the location designated for the night market is cramped and is affecting their business.

 Fruit seller Esa Kassim, 46, said the problems arose when the night market traders were asked to relocate to the present location this year following a nearby development project.

  He said it was the fourth time he had to relocate his stall since setting up shop at the night market  20 years ago. “Previously, the other traders and I operated near the SK Bakar Batu but because of a highway project, we were told to move closer to a housing estate.

 “After we relocated, many customers thought our night market had closed down, and this had affected our business,” said Esa.

  Fashion accessories seller Roslina Rosman, 47, said the traders urged the Johor Baru City Council to take note of the problem before it worsens. She said if the problem persisted, she may have to close shop.

  “We are not happy about operating from here as it is cramped. We are also worried about our safety as minor accidents have occurred,”said Roslina.   Customer Budiman Markani, 46, said the night market does not have enough parking bays.

  “My family and I are forced to park our vehicles far away because the area is cramped. We hope the Johor Baru City Council will relocate the night market to a better place,” said Budiman.

Smoother traffic for motorists plying route

Completed : The second RM25mil Permas Jaya bridge (left) connecting Bakar Batu and Permas Jaya was opened recently.

JOHOR BARU: Motorists can now enjoy smoother traffic flow as the second bridge connecting Bakar Batu and Permas Jaya is finally completed, after the project started four years ago.

Construction for the new 700m double-lane bridge, costing RM25mil, began in 2008.

The bridge sits parallel to the existing bridge, which only has two lanes to accommodate a two-way traffic flow.Traffic jams, however, have always been a problem for motorists passing the area, hence the construction of the second bridge.


Permas assemblyman Datuk M. Samy said the second bridge could solve the longstanding traffic woes in the area. “The project began four years ago after we received many complaints that the first bridge could not cater to the large volume of vehicles that passed by the area.

“The bridge’s completion is slightly delayed as it was supposed to be opened in September last year but everyone is glad that it is finally opened,” he said.

Meanwhile, restaurant proprietor Chong Si Ling, 28, said the new bridge would boost her business as many of her customers also complained about traffic congestion in the area.

“Since the project started some four years ago, my business suffered a dip as a lot of people avoided coming into Permas Jaya because of the bottleneck at the bridge,” she said.

Taxi driver Lim Heng Sing, 53, said it would definitely be easier for him to travel along the route.

“Before the bridge was completed, I avoided going to the area unless I absolutely have to but now, it is easier to make rounds in the area to wait for customers,” he added.

RM35 juta bagi menaik taraf Jalan Bakar Batu

Rasmi ... Menteri Besar, Dato' Abdul Ghani Othman menandatangani plak perasmian projek pembangunan Southkey sambil diperhatikan oleh Pengerusi Southkey Properties Sdn Bhd, Dato' Abdul Karim Ahmad Tarmizi.

JOHOR BAHRU: Sejumlah RM35 juta diperuntukkan bagi menaik taraf Jalan Bakar Batu yang terletak di sempadan selatan pembangunan pusat komersial, Southkey.

Menteri Besar Johor, Dato' Abdul Ghani Othman, berkata Kerajaan Negeri menerima dana pemudah itu daripada Kerajaan Pusat melalui Unit Kerjasama Awam Swasta (UKAS).

"Projek menaik taraf jalan sepanjang 1.8 kilometer daripada jalan dua lorong kepada empat lorong itu akan dimulakan September depan dan dijangka siap pada 2014.

"Apabila siap, jalan berkenaan akan menghubungkan Lebuh raya Tebrau dan Lebuh raya Lingkaran Penyuraian Timur (EDL)," katanya ketika berucap pada majlis pelancaran projek Southkey di Galeri Jualan Southkey Johor Bahru, di sini, Sabtu lalu.

Dalam ucapannya, Abdul Ghani turut menjelaskan bahawa pembangunan berkenaan terletak di kedudukan strategik dan di dalam pusat bandar raya, iaitu dalam lingkungan Flagship Zone A Iskandar Malaysia.

"Pembangunan pusat komersial ini juga mudah untuk diakses melalui Jalan Tebrau, Southern Link Expressway dan EDL.

"Pelan pembangunan Southkey turut termasuk dalam perancangan laluan Light Rail Transit (LRT), sekali gus meningkatkan lagi kemudahan akses ke kawasan ini," katanya.

Abdul Ghani berkata, kedudukannya di tengah-tengah bandar raya Johor Bahru juga memudahkan warga Singapura untuk membeli hartanah di situ memandangkan ia hanya mengambil masa pemanduan 20 minit dari Kompleks Kastam, Imigresen dan Kuarantin (KIK) ke Southkey.

Jelasnya, secara tidak langsung, Iskandar Malaysia akan menjadi perhatian dan berpotensi menarik lebih ramai ekspatriat membeli hartanah di sini berikutan pengumuman kerajaan Singapura mengenakan 10 peratus duti setem tambahan pembeli (ABSD) ke atas kategori tertentu pembelian kediaman di republik itu penghujung tahun lalu.

Berita dipetik dari halaman:http://www.medkom.my dan ditulis oleh Aivizanoorwani Shah Shahroni