Kota kinabalu: The Sabah Government is proposing to relocate the Kota Kinabalu Central Market out of the city centre to provide a new market that is more comprehensive, spacious, and modern, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. He stated that the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) was preparing a working paper on the proposal to be presented at a Sabah State Cabinet meeting later.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Hajiji mentioned that if a new market is built, it will be equipped with all the necessary facilities and will be bigger and better. This statement was made to reporters after he inspected two proposed sites for the new market. Earlier, Hajiji inspected the first proposed site, which consists of 40 acres (16.19 hectares) of state land along Jalan UMS in Alam Mesra. This site has been proposed as the Kota Kinabalu North Integrated Market Hub.

The Alam Mesra hub is proposed to include dry and wet market facilities, a cultural and tourism products centre, a hawker centre, and a fish jetty, as briefed by Kota Kinabalu Mayor Datuk Sabin Samitah. Hajiji also visited the second site located on mixed commercial land near Kampung Likas along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, next to Anjung Selera.

According to Hajiji, the DBKK Mayor's Office will also submit a proposal on the redevelopment plan for the existing Kota Kinabalu Central Market site after the market is relocated. The inspection visit was attended by State Secretary Datuk Zainudin Aman and Assistant Ministers to the Chief Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and Datuk Ceasar Mandela Malakun.