KOTA KINABALU, Sept 14 — The Sabah government is mulling three new spots for the relocation of the Kota Kinabalu central market from the heart of the city.

Chief minister Datuk Hajiji Noor who visited and inspected two of the proposed sites – along Likas Bay and near Alamesra, said that no final decision had been made on its suitability or the location of the new market.

The third proposed site is in the area of Darau, some 20km from the city centre.

“The government has plans to relocate this central market from the middle of Kota Kinabalu, so that is why we came to see and inspect the proposed site.

“The government will consider and decide which site is suitable for us to build the new Kota Kinabalu central market,” he told reporters after visiting the site.

Hajiji said the proposed new market was envisaged as more than a conventional public market, with various activities and facilities incorporated into the development like both dry market and wet market, a cultural, local and tourism products centre, hawkers centre and fish wharf.

Hajiji visited a 40-acre piece of state land along Jalan UMS in Alamesra and the second proposed site located on a mixed-commercial land belonging to the Local Government and Housing Ministry near Kampung Likas along Tun Fuad Stephens coastal road adjacent to Anjung Selera.

Hajiji said the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) would first prepare a working paper on the proposal before it was brought to the Cabinet for consideration and a decision, saying that the proposal was still in its early stages.

“What is important is that we ensure which site is suitable for building a fairly large and good market, not just an ordinary public market.

“The market to be built will encompass all activities near the market, as we saw at the site earlier. That is the concept,” he said.

Hajiji also said no decision had been made on what would happen to the existing central market site after the relocation.

He said any proposal for the old site would come from the city mayor.

“That proposal will come later from the city mayor on what will be done there. We don't know yet,” he said.

Hajiji also said no cost estimate was available yet, as the government was currently only assessing potential sites.

“The value has not been determined. It is only the site for now,” he said. - malaymail