Monday, July 15, 2013
Jonker Street: 'Favourable' answer expected next week
With Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron's month-long trial run to reopen Jonker Street to traffic ending next week, Tourism Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz is hopeful of a “favourable” decision to resolve the objections registered.
"(The) last time I met the chief minister was on June 22. He told me he needed four weekends for a trial run to see if it works correctly or not. Today is already July 15, so next week would be the fourth weekend.
"I will talk to him and I think he will - with all the memos coming in (seeking to close Jonker Walk to traffic), I think he will consider (the situation) favourably."
Nazri was speaking at a joint press conference with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at the Parliament lobby this morning.
Idris had said that Jonker Street - where the popular Jonker Walk weekend night market is held - will be reopened to traffic to relieve congestion in the area.
Kwong Wah Daily had earlier quoted him as saying that this is also is to fulfill DAP's wish 13 years ago, when the party had opposed the night market being sited there.
The DAP has since explained that its opposition then was due to poor initial planning of the night market, but that it is now in favour of this popular tourist attraction.
Elaborating, Nazri reiterated his opinion that Idris' suggestion - for traders to operate business on the pavement while allowing cars to use the road - is not workable.
"Jonker Walk will be spoilt if cars are allowed to pass and I think it will not resolve any problems but add more problems.
"Even if stall owners (operate) businesses on the pavement, people will continue to walk on the street where the cars pass. That is not the solution and it will cause more jams.”
Nazri later accepted a petition from Lim, who was accompanied by Kota Laksamana state assemblyperson Lai Kuen Ban and Ayer Keroh state assemblyperson Khoo Poay Tiong.
The petition was backed by 33,400 signatures asking for the road to be closed to traffic.
Traders, with the help of political parties, have continued to defy the state government's order and have closed the road on their own for the night market.
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