By NUR SHAZREENA ALI
KUCHING: Medan Niaga Satok has so many things to offer, from fruits, vegetables and plant shoots to a galore of meats, fish and crustaceans.
The facility used to exist as Satok Weekend Market sandwiched between Jalan Satok and Jalan Rubber.
Due to a host of problems, it was moved to the present location near Kubah Ria in 2012 where the amenities are better and more comfortable for small traders from the suburbs and rural areas that gather on weekends to sell various produce and products.
Much of the local vegetables, jungle produce, fruits and herbs are sold fresh at affordable prices.
One would think that cakes are mostly found at bakeries or confectionaries, but the famous Sarawak layered cakes are plentiful at the market and they are some of the most in-demand products among tourists.
A check around the market revealed that among the shoppers there are visitors from neighbouring countries such as Brunei and Indonesia.
Sixteen-year-old Nadhirah, who helps look after her family-run coconut grating and coconut milk producing business, said that surprisingly most of their customers are Bruneians.
“Whenever they come, they would buy dozens of packets of ‘kerisik’ to bring back home. They said it is quite hard to find it in their country,” she said.
A couple of visitors, Sophia and D Khin, from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah said they were quite excited when the saw what the market has to offer.
“Such a food paradise!” they both exclaimed.
“The market is clean and we are amazed at almost everything”, D Khin added.
From Indonesia, 22-year-old international student, Fahriah, said her family is impressed with the prices and quality of the jungle produce, especially herbs.
“Almost every month my parents drive all the way from Pontianak to Kuching just to do shopping,” she said.
That’s some passion compared to the staid and indifferent local shoppers many of whom have taken the market and several other markets in the city from granted.
