SHAH ALAM, July 24 — The redevelopment of the Selangor Wholesale Market is expected to begin early next year after issues involving the previously appointed contractor have been resolved.
Berita Harian reported that state executive councillor for infrastructure and agriculture Dato' Izham Hashim said the project's design and implementation are now in the final stages before construction begins.
Plans to redevelop the wholesale market, which is managed by the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation, had been in place for several years and were not prompted by the fire that occurred in the early hours of this morning.
"This project has actually been planned for quite some time, but there were some issues involving the contractor previously appointed.
"We are now finalising the design and implementation. InsyaAllah (God willing), if everything proceeds smoothly, construction will begin early next year," he said when visiting the site of the fire in Serdang today.
Izham added that the redevelopment will cover the entire market site and feature a new design that places greater emphasis on safety and user comfort.
The upgraded facilities will include fire hydrants, an automatic sprinkler system, and additional parking spaces.
"We want to develop a modern wholesale market that is more comfortable, safer, and equipped with sufficient parking facilities.
"Safety will be a key priority, including installing fire hydrants and sprinkler systems as essential elements of the redevelopment," he said.
Meanwhile, the councillor said that operations at the Selangor Wholesale Market have not been disrupted despite the fire destroying three premises.
The incident only involved a catering equipment and kitchenware shop, an egg retailer, and a hardware store, while all other businesses continue to operate as usual.
"There were no fatalities or injuries reported, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Fire and Rescue Department," Izham said.
He noted that the affected area will be cleared first before further action is taken regarding the three damaged premises.
The state government is targeting the completion of all matters relating to the site before the end of the year, so that redevelopment can commence according to schedule.
