MELAKA (July 27): The state government will maintain the Melaka Sentral wet market site, and will not approve a high-rise development project at the site, said Chief Minister Adly Zahari.

At the heart of the city, close to the main bus terminal, the wet market was strategically located for locals.  

“There were plans to develop the old market but we have rejected the proposal and are currently waiting for a report from the Public Works Institute (Ikram) on the stability of the soil at the site,” he said to the Star.

Following an occurance of underground earth movement in Aug 2016 that led to severe erosion and cracks in supporting beams of the market, Ikram issued a notice to the state government at the time.

According to the daily, Former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron warned that based on an authorised civil engineering report, the wet market was on the brink of collapse, with deterioration due to soil sinkage and structural cracks.

The state government then ordered immediate evacuation of all 342 traders.

Traders currently hawk their wares at the transit wet market, located in Jalan Tun Fatimah, while they wait for Ikram to declare the market as safe once more.

Adly, said the transit market had been built at a cost of RM10mil on a 1.86ha site, with 300 stall lots and 232 parking lots, but now faced issues with insufficient car parks and clogged drains.

“The transit market was opened at the end of last year and is some distance away from the bus terminal,” he said to the Star.

Adly said the issues would be addressed, with plans to convert a nearby 0.8ha site into a car park.

The site remains a transit wet market, and was thus temporary, until Ikram declares the old market as safe for occupation.

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