KOTA KINABALU: Api-Api night food market has the potential to be a popular destination for locals and tourists, offering a wide variety of traditional foods and local fruits, said Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew.
"I believe this will have a positive impact on Sabah's tourism, especially in Kota Kinabalu, and further contribute to the state's economic growth," she said this during the launch of the additional 54 stalls in the newly opened night food market in block C and D areas at Gaya Street here.
Altogether, the night food market now boasts a total of 154 stalls, including the existing 100 stalls in block A and B, which were opened on December 1, 2018.
She also contributed 54 bins to the new hawkers.
"I call upon traders and the community to maintain the cleanliness of the hawker site at all times to preserve the city's image.
"This is aligning with Kota Kinabalu City Hall (KKCH)'s mission to create a clean, green and livable city.
"KKCH has taken various initiatives to promote city cleanliness through programmes such as the clean and green campaign, the carry reusable bag campaign, and the promotion of eco-friendly food containers at food stalls," said Liew.
The initiative to add new stalls, she said, would help improve the livelihoods of the city's residents and stimulate Sabah's economy, particularly in the tourism sector.
The night food market was established to enhance the vibrancy of Kota Kinabalu and provide opportunities for small traders while attracting more tourists to visit the city, she said.
"The selection of Gaya Street as a new night food market location was strategic due to its historical significance and reputation as a tourist destination, both domestically and internationally," she said.
She added that Gaya Street weekly market on Sunday is a popular spot among tourists, offering various goods, including local and traditional products.
The night food market operates every Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 12am.
Several streets, including Jalan Bandaran, Jalan Jati, Jalan Api-Api, Jalan Bakau and Jalan Gaya are temporarily closed starting at 5 pm to facilitate hawking activities.