BUKIT BUNGA NEEDS NEW LEASE OF LIFE, PROGRAMMES TO REVIVE BORDER TOWN

TANAH MERAH, Nov 8 (Bernama) -- The once-bustling Bukit Bunga shopping area here has grown increasingly desolate, with many business premises forced to shut down in recent years due to dwindling customer numbers.

Located near the East-West Highway and bordering Thailand, the area, once a popular stop for locals and tourists alike, is now in dire need of a new lease of life, with calls for more programmes and activities to revive public interest and foot traffic.

A Bernama survey found that most shop lots in the area now stand empty, while many traders have been driven out of business following a sharp drop in sales over the past three years.

Dry food trader, Mariyana Muhammad, 53, said the business scene in Bukit Bunga has changed drastically, with customer numbers declining year after year.

“My sales have dropped by almost 70 per cent. These days, it’s hard to earn even RM100 a day, whereas before, I could easily make between RM1,000 to RM2,000,” she told Bernama.

Having traded in the area for more than 30 years, Mariyana said the downturn began around three years ago and that the place only comes alive during festive seasons or long holidays, when migrants from the north return to Kelantan.

“On ordinary days, I can count on one hand how many people stop by to buy groceries or SME products from my shop. Fortunately, I own my premises — otherwise, I would have closed long ago,” she said.

She added that events and initiatives by federal, state, or private agencies could help breathe new life into the area.

“Hopefully, large-scale programmes can be held here so traders can thrive again, rather than all the focus being on urban areas like Kota Bharu,” she said..

Another trader, Fatimah Dollah, 47, who sells clothing, echoed similar sentiments, saying the business atmosphere now is nothing like it was a decade ago.

“In the past, traders could easily make RM1,000 to RM2,000 a day, but now there are days with no customers at all. Our prices are reasonable, as low as RM10 to RM40, but still, business is slow,” she said.

Fatimah added that many locals now prefer to shop in Thailand, where more vibrant tourism programmes and product offerings are available.

“Even on weekends, many Malaysians cross into Thailand through the Bukit Bunga Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS),” she said.

She hopes that more tourism activities and community events can be held to attract both Malaysian and Thai visitors back to Bukit Bunga.

“It’s a pity because this location is strategic. It’s close to the border and along the main route to the northern states, yet there are so few interesting programmes and attractions.

“With more shops closing, job opportunities are also disappearing. If nothing changes, this town could one day be nothing more than a memory,” she said.

-- BERNAMA