The name Kianggeh may have been derived from the Chinese term kiang, which means river, according to a book Dokumentasi.In order to promote involvement, the government encouraged settlers to cultivate fruit and coconut trees and provided freehold land titles, allowing common people to possess property for the first time.Although the Kampong Ayer community first opposed the migration, certain people—mainly Chinese residents and members of the royal pengiran class—embraced it because they saw the long-term advantages of living on land.[6] The current market complex was built in 2016; it has a total area of 4,450 square metres (47,900 sq ft), comprises eight buildings and altogether accommodates 313 stalls.It was reported that the market was originally planned to be relocated to Gadong but scrapped after receiving opposition from the local vendors.