(Photo: Night Scene of the Night Market and with the courtesy of Sibu Municipal Council )
The Open night market or "Malam at Market " was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Sarawak Culinary delights Category in the Sarawak Hornbill Tourism award 2008 organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board and the State Ministry of Tourism, Sarawak . This a must visit site especially for the tourist and outsiders. This Night Market consists of food section (takeaway), merchandise, fresh fruits and Bumi or Malay Section is cooked food (takeaway) as well as the merchandise goods. The merchandised good sold here are the daily use items, clothing, imitation jewelleries, watches, posters, local handicrafts, hardware from china and while food section, you can see the fresh fruits, drinks, cakes and barbecued chicken & meats.
1. The Merchandise Section of Night Market.
(Photo: Selling Clothings )
(Photo: Selling Clothings )
(Photo: A must Take away Item- " Sarong" for tourist and this one of the 3 Sarong Stalls)
(Photo: display of imitation jewelleries)
(Photo: Selling Jewelleries & hair accessories)
(Photo: selling sling bags, watches, small items of accessories)
(Photo:Selling Original Iban CD and VCD)
(Photo: Selling Posters )
2. Fresh Fruits Section of Night Market.
3. Cooked Food Section of Night Market.
(Photo: Selling Barbecued Meats & fishes (Bumi Section) )
(Photo: selling & display of Dishes )(Bumi Section- take away Food)
(Photo: Selling Kebab )(Bumi Section)
(Phto: selling Drinks & Biscuits )(Bumi Section)
(Photo: Selling drinks & dumplings) (Non Bumi Section)
(Photo: Selling Barbecued meats) (non halal) and still remember
my friend (Roland ) use to buy the barbecued head of..............
No. of Stalls at the Night Market.
The number of stalls is about 150 to 200 in numbers and a few of the original traders had either ceased trading or had passed away. From the survey carried out revealed that recently the business is not that good as compared to the 70s and also, might be due to recent economic downturn.No. of Stalls at the Night Market.
A brief Story of this Night Market.
A little bit of the write up or the history of this Night Market or "Pasar Malam" for you and this Market is under the management of the local Authority (Sibu Municipal Council). This Night Market is in existence for nearly 40 years.This Night Market traders actually come from two(2) different trading Sites i.e the high street & Market road areas. Because of the demolition of the Old 2 story Wet & Dry Market , Market Road (the present site of the Night Market Trading Site) , they were grouped together at this present trading Site in the Year 2001.
In fact, the Traders from High Street had a humble Start at the Former small town Square behind the Sibu Municipal Council (then Sibu District Council)) town hall with less than 20 stalls and shifted 3 times , first to behind Raminway Parking Lots, second to in front Palace Theatre (the present Jun Rong Supermarket), third to Sibu Butterfly parkand back to the present Site with the Market Road traders in Year 2001. Market Road Night Traders only move once to the Butterfly park (because of the demolition of Market Road Wet & Dry Market ) with the High Street Traders and back together the same Year (2001).
It was drizzling and all of the sudden , it rained quite heavily as I was strolling along this Night Market and I got stuck at one of the Stall. Luck is very kind to me, Mr. Kong suddenly stand in front of me and I asked him ,how's your business? He said "Just enough for my pocket money". Ah Siong (Mr Kong ) is very lucky chap who had 2 sons (both of the IT graduates working in banking and another PR in Holland ). He told me that he had the most wonderful time (business) especially in the 1970s (especially around 1975). Mr. Kong is the Founder Chairperson of the Sibu Pasar Malam Association and was the chairperson for two(2) terms.The Sibu Pasar Malam Association is about 5 to 6 year Old.
(Photo: Mr. Kong )
As we were chatting , suddenly, a " Tai ko" (most of the night traders call Him) of the night market , Mr. Lau Ngie Hua (CEO of local chain of supermarket- "Daesim " supermarket and he was a night market trader for 3 years (he quitted in year 1975 ) during the 70s and according to Mr. Kong that Mr. Lau Ngie Hua made RM 7.50 during his first night. Mr. Lau is a very friendly and nice fellow. As we were talking , the topic of who was the first Council Chairman who started this Night Market and who were the Council Chairperson that followed ? The Late Mr. Lai Han Lu (elected) was the first , Late Mr. Chew King Pun, Tan Sri Lau Hieng Ting, Datuk Yao Peng Hua, Tiew Sung Seng, Datuk Ting Ing Mieng , Mr. Kong Sien Han. and .Datuk Tiong Thai King ( the present Mayor) .
Luck is on my side again, as I was walking towards my car, I met the Owner of Jun Rong Supermarket, another Old & Retired Night Market Trader, he was sitting in front of his premises , looking towards the night market and managed to get a few points of this write up from him.
(Photo: Mr. Huong Siew Miew, Owner of Jun Rong Supermarket)
This Market had a humble start in the Year 1973 with only 49 stall lots in this area (along Market) , actually the original (proposed site ) for them was along Central Road (in front of the Old Sibu Municipal Council) but it was rejected by these group of Traders and according to Mr. Huong Siew Miew (first batch night trader) that the present site (Market Road) was the best Choice then as the night activities could brighten this area. But I think it was not the reason, the actual reason was the activities of the 1st Floor of the Old 2 storey Wet & Dry Market (Cooked Food Stalls) could supported the business of the night market traders because of the people coming for suppers. The initial condition of this Night Market looked quite shabby as most the traders were found using wooden crates for displaying their goods. Mr. Huong Siew Miew gave up his licence in Year 2002 due to the business of the Jun Rong Supermarket.
The first few years the business was quite bad and attendance was very poor that Mr. Lai Han Lu, the Chairman of the local Authority ( then Sibu District Council )had to make personal house calls to encourage these traders to operate their stall. The Chairman of the Local Authority was Mr. Lai Han Lu (businessman by profession) and he was the elected by the people as previously the Chairperson & were elected representatives.
It was at the Year 1975, that the business had a big boom and was so good that a night outing could earn about a thousand or more for a well stocked night stall. Believe it or not? That was the words from one of the night trader, Mr. Kong.
Like to know how much these Night Hawkers are paying to Sibu Municipal Council ? Well, the licence fee is Ringgit Malaysia Sixty only (RM 60.00 only) per year.
The arrangement of the resettlement of this Night Market (or Pasar Malam) was done during the term of Cr. Wong Lay Nam (the Chairperson of Market & Petty Traders Committee or MPT) and the Sibu Municipal Council Chairman then was YB Datuk Robert Lau Hui Chew
A very good effort and job well done.
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