“This is a must-visit destination by tourists”. That is what is written about the Medan Kidd Bazaar on Ipoh City Council’s tourism website. The bazaar, located at Jalan Leong Boon Swee, is supposed to be a hotspot for locals and tourists alike. Unfortunately, it is a huge disappointment.
The entire site is poorly maintained, thus its potential is lost. Most of the streetlights do not function, and have been so for several years now. Water supply is another problem. There has been one disruption too many in the past.
Ina, 25, who operates a restaurant at the bazaar claims that it has affected her business. “Business is bad at night. Customers assume that her restaurant is closed because there are no lights. Water supply is disrupted occasionally. We’ve made several reports to the authorities but nothing has changed,” she lamented.
Soh, who owns a grocery shop faces a similar problem. “In the morning it’s usually crowded. But at night, it’s the opposite. The 60-year-old, who has been running the shop for over a decade, said many had come to enquire about the problems, but nothing concrete has happened.
Twenty-year-old Ain, a restaurant worker, says that it has affected business. “Customers can’t eat in the dark, can they? Lights are out at times. We resort to using candles. That’s how bad it has become.
“Water supply is another issue, as there are the occasional disruptions,” Ain added.
“TNB personnel have come to fix the lights but it only lasts for a while before the lights go out again,” she said dejectedly.
Joshua Jacob
