Displaced Fish Vendors Sell From Boats At Sg Kianggeh
By Rosli Abidin Yahya

Bandar Seri Begawan - As the wet market in Bandar Seri Begawan has closed down to make way for new development and most vendors moved to the fish market in Gadong, displaced traders sell fish from their boats on the riverbank of Sungai Kianggeh.

Nine on-boat fish traders said they could not get places at the wet market in Gadong.

"We would love to trade at the fish market in Gadong but it was already full. Therefore, nine vendors including us have to sell fish from our boats," they said.

The public welcomes the boat traders whom they feel relive memories of the "padian" woman entrepreneurs who used to roam the waters of Brunei River, selling fish, vegetables and other kitchen needs from their "perahus".

The "padian" paddled their perahus and offered their products to houses in Kampong Ayer decades ago. "Padian" trading was no longer practised after the traders were allocated places at Pasar Tambing and Tamu Kianggeh.

Customers who used to go to the now-closed Pasar Tambing welcomed the on-boat fish traders at Sungei Kianggeh. They said they dwell near the water villages and have done their shopping in the capital for as long as they can remember.

"Thank God we still have some fish vendors from the closed Pasar Tambing to offer us fish from their boats. "Otherwise we may need to go all the way to Gadong fish market to buy fish.

"We also buy our vegetables from the Tamu Kianggeh," they said. Most of the vegetable sellers from the Pasar Tambing were also relocated to the Tamu Kianggeh.

The fish traders said business has been encouraging except during heavy rain.

"If the rain is heavy we have to take shelter at the Tamu Kianggeh, leaving our fish on the boats," said the vendors. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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