Lively Aeroville Mall car park wholesaler market-a one-stop market for all

suppadmin | October 7, 2020

SUPP threw a lifeline for the 70 stall of vegetable wholesalers giving them a safe place to ply their trade with proper licence, sheds and clean environment, all thanks to Minister of Local government and Housing, Dato’ Sri Dr. Sim Kui Hian , Kapitan Tan Kun Gee and Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng.

Recently, newly appointed Kapitan Tan and potential candidate, Wilfred Yap introduced some stall holder to the media on what they were doing and how many of them have managed the stalls way back since Jalan Gambier time.

Kapitan Tan said during the Movement Control Order (MCO), the last place these wholesalers plied their trade was at Stutong car park which was closed for safety reasons. He said the 70 odd stalls have no where to go except to ply illegally thus they were suffering a lot.

The group even went to do their trade at Mile 6 and some went back to Stutong wet market where they play hide and seek with the enforcement. Some who could not run away on time were caught and their items were all consificated.

Kapitan Tan said to watch them do an honest business this way was heartbreaking so he decided to look for a proper space and equip them with proper faciliites. He set them up at Aeroville Mall car park with proper canopy so that they can trade in rain or shine.

He explained that they had been there since end of July and Tan ‘chased’ for proper licence for them to trade without fear.

Utusan Sarawak spoke to two traders and hear their plights and their gratitude to Tan who helped them all the way to ensure they can trade legally and with a proper roof above them.

The traders

Two sisters, Julies 33 and Juliet Chin, 23 were partially soaked to the skin as they set up their stall. Despite the heavy downpour earlier on, the two still decided to go ahead with their business.

It was later revealed why they decided to go ahead and operate their stalls despite the harsh weather.

The two sisters are like good friends, agreeding over everything and bubbly. When asked if they like their new trading place, Juliet was the first to burst out saying, of course, got planes to see daily( their area was near the path of the landing and take-off).

Julies acted as the spokeswoman and recalled how a few years back, she was forced to returned Singapore from a good paying job after the rented house where her parents and siblings lived went up in smoke.

Worried for her parents and her siblings, (she had a brother who is now settled down and not living with them), Julies being the eldest decided to make a tough decision to stay back to help her family.

She said giving up her purchasing job in Singapore was tough as she had a hard time trying to get a job with a decent pay. Then her uncle who was doing the wholesale business took her in and teach her to learn the trade.

After learning the ropes, Julies branched out on her own, asking her sister if she is ready to venture out with her. Juliet agreed and the two started from scratch. It was tough at first, I have to find my own customers.

Julies knew her family rely heavily on her and despite the hardship and tears, she got through the first hurdle. She got her own suppliers which she went from one to another to search a cheaper price and from there she worked towards getting her own customers, who sticks to her throughout the years.

When Covid-19 hit Sarawak, Julies was so worried for her family. She now has more commitments, a new baby to feed, a house she bought and expenses needed to get on with life.

“I have zero income. I would love to sit in a corner and bawl my eyes out but I know that is not the solution. When I came from Singapore, it was so tough and this seems to be harder. I told my sister, we need to go out and earn a living, we cant wait and watch the world goes by and see our debts piling up,” she said emotionally.

Julies then did the unthinkable. She got her suppliers to supply her less items and went all around the city. As long as there is a place where she can park and do her business, she will do it. As she still contacted with other traders, they decided to take the risk to go back to Stutong which was closed for good after implementation of MCO.

Asking her sister to be on the lookout, she plied her trade and everytime, a blue van and blue uniformed people came by, her sister and her would threw whatever little display they had put outside into the van and sped off.

It was the most heartbreaking time for her as she later found out that each time, there were traders who were caught and their vegetables all consificated. She counted her lucky that she was able to get away.

A few months ago, she was approached by Kapitan Tan who asked her if she want to trade at Aeroville. Julies did not hesititate and immediately say yes. She said thanks to Kapitan Tan, she has no fear of running against the authority concern.

Julies sell not only local vegetables but imported fruites from Australia, Thailand, USA, Spain and China. She said she always want to get the best deal for her customers. Getting herself a day off per week, she said she would also send out supplies to her regular customers.

Stating that in Sarawak, one would not starve as long as one works hard, Julies works hard for her money. She would wake up at 4 am to start her day which would easily end at 10 or midnight after sorting out her goods.

Jong Loo Sen

Jong Loo Sen aged 60 has been trading since 1982 in Jalan Gambier. Having been in the business for 38 years, Jong’s most difficult time he faced was during the MCO period where his income was almost zero.

Although he was more fortunate than a lot of people, Jong said he was thankful, he did not have a house to pay and only his youngest son was still schooling in an univiersity in Nilai while the two elders are already working.

Jong’s wife would help him do his business from 3 pm to 8 pm daily and since the MCO period, the collection of vegetables to brought out to sell had gone donw almost 50 percent.

“Time is hard for a lot of people. Besides, this is year-end season and vegetables are scarce so prices shoot up at times from RM3 to RM10 per kilo. The least I got once was 200 kg a day while the mostly, I would collect over 1,000 kg. I am more fortunate than a lot of traders as I can supply to a few restaurants who are my regular customers and I have a small farm myself,” he said.

Jong said he is grateful for the management to give him a space to ply his trade in comfort. In the past at Stutong Jaya, they ply out in the open at night for 12 years.

His rental is RM450 per month. Although, none of his children will take over his business, Jong said his wife helped out and she even sell her own ‘Kueh’ which she got from a supplier.