THE first floor of the two-storey Seremban General Market was razed last month. Residents in Seremban town are wondering if the authorities have any plans to restore the popular market.
Resident Samuel Yesuiah Moses said the upper floor of the market housed about 30 to 40 food stalls.
Some of these food stalls, such as the one selling beef noodles, were famous among patrons, he added.
“Apart from the food stalls, the upper section of the market also had stalls selling clothes, shoes, toys and flowers.
“Washrooms were also located on the same floor.
“Now, the upper section is covered in soot, a grim reminder of the fire.”
He said while the upper floor of the market had been closed to the public, people still flocked to the market to shop or buy grocery on the ground floor.
“However, the car park, which once accommodated 100 vehicles, had been closed to the public.
“This has inconvenienced shoppers, leaving some to park their cars indiscriminately by the roadside and in the back lanes. This causes traffic congestion in the area.”
Yesuiah Moses said the market was once the pride of Seremban, but all that was left was a partially charred building.
“The Seremban General Market is an imposing and huge structure. Hopefully, it could be restored to revive its image
and to continue its service to the community.”
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A Seremban Municipal Council (MPS) spokesman said restoration work had yet to begin as MPS was waiting for approval of documentation.
Senator Datuk Chong Sin Woon, whose office is tasked with handling the fire incident, said MPS was waiting for adjuster reports in order to process insurance claims.
“Once that is done, MPS will start cleaning up debris on the upper floor of the market.”
The Negri Sembilan government has also set up a special committee to look into ways to assist traders following the fire, which destroyed 197 shops, including 99 food outlets.
The committee includes MPS officials and members, as well as representatives from the traders’ association.