THE long-awaited redevelopment of the Bukit Mertajam town market has entered a new phase.
Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) councillor Bernard Cheen Goon Hooi announced that with the arrival of machinery, piling work for the multi-storey car park along Jalan Pegawai, next to the market, is expected to begin tomorrow.
He said that upon completion of the project, the car park will be used as a temporary place for the 300-plus traders currently operating while redevelopment of the old market begins.
“We expect traders to move into the temporary market by July next year, with the entire redevelopment project targeted for full completion by July 2027,” he said.
Cheen added that the original design proposed a two-storey market, but some traders expressed concern that fewer customers would visit the upper floor, which could affect their business. After considering their feedback, the authorities revised the design to a single-storey structure.
The current Bukit Mertajam town market, built in 1967, has long shown signs of ageing. In 2014, a fire broke out at the section locally known as the “Pasar Rooftop,” intensifying calls for redevelopment. The project finally took shape in 2023 when Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming announced funding to build a modern and comfortable new market.
The project, with an allocation of about RM24 million, includes the construction of a multi-storey car park, a temporary market, a new permanent market, upgrades to surrounding facilities, and the establishment of a community centre within the market grounds.
MBSP and the Northern Chapter of the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) jointly organised a design competition for the new market, receiving 75 entries from across the country.
Pix by Lee Jia Ying and courtesy of MBSP councillor Bernard Cheen