SANDAKAN: Hawkers at Sandakan Central Market have raised their grievances to Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) as a planned three-week closure for upgrades threatens to sever their income.
During a visit from SAPP leaders led by vice president Thomas Lau Chi Keong on Sept 18, traders expressed severe frustration with the Sandakan Municipal Council, criticizing its failure to conduct periodic maintenance that led to the current need for major repairs.
Their immediate appeals are for the provision of a temporary trading site and a minimum one-month rental reduction to cushion the financial impact of the forced closure.
Meanwhile a hawker urged SAPP to continue its pursuit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). The hawker emphasized the state’s right to 40% of the annual federal tax revenue collected from Sabah—a right enshrined in the Federal Constitution but not fully implemented. – James Leong
