By Olivia Miwil
olivia@nst.com.myPictures by Izhari Ariffin
KOTA KINABALU: Demolition work on building structures at the popular Tanjung Aru beach have raised eyebrows among the public here.
Tenants of the lots at the area known as the First Beach were informed to vacate their premises by City Hall last month but revealed they were not informed of the demolition project.
William Chung, 35, claimed like most other tenants who used to run businesses at the complex, he too was caught by surprise.
"I was not told of any plans for the area apart from being asked to vacate the bar I used to rent." Chung expressed hope however the area would be redeveloped into a better entity that could attract more visitors and enjoyed by the masses.
"My bar for instance has helped introduce locals showcase their talents in performance arts to the big crowd that patronise this area, especially during the weekend," he said.
City Planner Alijus Sipil said the area has been taken over by the Tanjung Aru Eco Development Sdn Bhd, a company entrusted to give the iconic beach a major facelift.
"The company has taken over the premises and it will be a part of the major redevelopment in the Tanjung Aru area," he said when contacted.
Another city resident Peterina Nyuk, 28, said the outlets at the First Beach complex have always been a vibrant place and hopefully with the new development it will not lose its appeal.
What remains in the area for now are the covered open air stalls, with about 30 operators, selling local delicacies such as corn and pickled fruits as well as refreshments.
The First Beach area, that stretches about the size of a football field, was developed some 20 years ago and leased to a company.
The lease expired last year and had since been reclaimed by City Hall that has handed it over to the Tanjung Aru Eco Development Sdn Bhd which has been tasked to develop a world class, eco-friendly tourism centrepiece on a 52 hectare site in the vicinity of the area.
Comments
Post a Comment