Reviving Ipoh Central Market: Addressing Decline and Challenges

The once-thriving Ipoh Central Market, nestled in the heart of the Urban Transformation Centre, is now a fading relic of its vibrant past. Once a bustling hub known as Super Kinta shopping centre, it has now seen a significant decline in both traders and visitors. Key figures behind the stalls at the market, such as V. Nadarasaa of Super Bookstore, tailor Abim Abidin, and florist Jenny Leong, are witnessing firsthand the market’s decline due to a myriad of issues.

Nadarasaa, a bookstore owner for 42 years, laments the dwindling souls that tread these grounds, blaming inadequate parking facilities and the unnerving presence of drug addicts. He notes how the market’s allure continues to dim with fewer traders available, leading to decreased foot traffic. Similarly, the parking predicament with apps like Flexi Parking and Park@Perak deters the older demographic, who find these digital interfaces challenging, further reducing customer numbers.

Tailor Abim Abidin echoes Nadarasaa’s concerns, pointing out that the struggle to find parking combined with poor Internet connectivity within the parking complex is driving away potential clientele. Stories of parking barrier gate incidents and the general frustration with technology-associated parking further dampen business prospects.

Jenny Leong, managing Beauty Art Florist since 1989, acknowledges the painful shift post-pandemic, projecting a 60% drop in business. Leong’s observations paint a picture of an ongoing struggle to regain the market’s former glory amidst prevailing economic conditions.

Nurul Zaiety Saidatul Akhmar, a titbits and fruit seller who doubles up as a parking guide, highlights regular complaints about the parking system. She recounts challenges faced by the elderly and frightful encounters with drug addicts seeking money for safe parking.

The market’s challenges extend to safety, with individuals like tailor Kak Noor and craftsman Sabri Ali describing an increase in drug addict presence, further exacerbated by closed shops creating an eerie, deserted atmosphere. Abdullah Annas Al-I’mran Ghazali, who assists his uncle Sabri, advocates for promoting traditional products like labu sayong and keris to attract tourists and revive the market’s cultural vibrancy.

Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin assures stakeholders that actions are underway to address these concerns. The Licensing Department is actively dealing with inactive traders, ensuring licensing revocations where necessary. Efforts are also in place to secure government funding for upgrading the market to match renowned tourist spots like Pasar Payang in Terengganu and Pekan Rabu in Kedah, with plans to enhance safety, improve infrastructure, and expand business spaces.

Rumaizi provides assurances that parking system improvements are ongoing, including manual intervention during technical downtimes and enhanced safety measures via CCTV surveillance. He also confirms coordination with relevant agencies to tackle the drug addiction problem, underlining a commitment to restore Ipoh Central Market’s status as a central shopping and cultural destination.