SANDAKAN – A discussion session was held with vendors of Pasar Dinihari Bandar Sandakan, which was also attended by the Vendors Association. The meeting was attended by several elected representatives, including YB Alex Wong, YB Alex Thien, YB Alias Hj Sani, YB Lisa Alban, and YB Arunarsin Taib, as well as the night market traders.
According to the Vendors Association, there is an operating company that manages the traders. Therefore, they will collect complete data on all traders to avoid misunderstandings within the community, particularly allegations that they are defending non-local individuals.
The traders also stated that they have been operating in the area for more than 22 years and that cleanliness issues should be managed through the rental rates of the trading lots. This issue has only recently arisen and has caused dissatisfaction among the traders.
During the meeting, the traders also informed that they have the Sabah Vegetable and Fruit Wholesalers Association, which comprises more than 100 traders and operates through its own committee. They are of the view that the current condition of the market remains acceptable and that traffic flow is not overly congested.
The Vendors Association emphasized that allegations claiming they had agreed to the closure of Pasar Dinihari are untrue. “As Opposition ADUNs, we have never been involved in any MPS meetings related to this matter,” they said.
As a sign of concern, they unanimously agreed to go down to the ground on 3 February 2026 at 1.00 a.m. to assess the actual situation at Pasar Dinihari Bandar Sandakan. They are worried that any hasty actions would jeopardize the livelihoods of the traders and stressed the need for a fairer solution, including the provision of permanent lots for traders without any sudden eviction actions.
