The state government will collaborate with property owners in promoting Siniawan Night Market as a cultural heritage tourist attraction.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said they could come up with plans to further promote the weekend night market.

He said the government could serve as the backbone to provide assistance to property owners at the night market with an ultimate aim of preserving the two rows of old shop houses.

“The government will fully support this and we will discuss in our meetings on programmes and plans to develop tourism-related activities for Siniawan Night Market,” he said when launching the Siniawan Night Market Festival on Saturday.

Abdul Karim appealed to property owners of the night market to keep renovation at a minimum level in order to preserve the original structure of the shop houses.

He felt that too much use of modern building materials might diminish the historical appearance of the structures.

He was so deeply impressed by the huge crowd that night that he thought the popularity of Siniawan Night Market could match that of the Kuching Festival Food Fair.

He said the night market had opened his eyes because the old town seemed to have now a new image unlike what he had seen years ago.

“I remember driving past Siniawan old town during day time many years ago, but I have no particular memory of this old town,” he added.

At the function, Abdul Karim pledged a RM20,000 government grant for the Siniawan Night Market Committee to carry out its annual activities.

He hoped that the committee would host a major festival every year apart from keeping the night market going.

Among those present was Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by BORNEO POST

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