City councillors rebuke market authority<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City councilors rebuked the market authority, PD
\nPasar Jaya, yesterday for not taking action against city market
\nroadside vendors having to pay illegal levies.<\/p>\n
The councilors who visited the Cipulir and Kebayoran Lama
\nmarkets in South Jakarta were told by the vendors that they each
\nhad to pay Rp 1,750 (US$0.7) a day in illegal levies.<\/p>\n
At least 200 roadside vendors have been occupying spaces at
\nthe markets since Ramadhan began. They will stay there until
\nafter Idul Fitri.<\/p>\n
The chairman of Commission B for Economic Affairs, Sahala
\nSinaga said \"the imposition of illegal levies by irresponsible
\npeople is against the administration's policy to help vendors
\nwith business spaces during the fasting month. The market
\nauthority PD Pasar Jaya should not be blind to these outlawed
\npractices\".<\/p>\n
PD Pasar Jaya said a vendor was charged a rental fee for the
\nspace and Rp 5,000 in sanitation and security fees.<\/p>\n
The rental fee depended on a business' size and its location,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The councilors were at the markets to monitor the prices of
\ngoods and the distribution of spaces to vendors during Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
Sahala acknowledged it was hard to stop illegal levies being
\nimposed on vendors. \"This happens every year to roadside vendors
\nwho get business spaces at markets. PD Pasar Jaya should have
\nanticipated the problem and taken stern action against those
\ninvolved in the practice,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The vendors must compensate for the money they pay in illegal
\nlevies with higher prices for the goods they sell. In the end the
\nconsumers are victimized,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Umar, who sells women's clothes at the Cipulir market,
\nsaid she paid Rp 200,000 for a four-square-meter space plus the
\nRp 5,000 sanitation and security fee.<\/p>\n
\"I also pay Rp 1,000 every day ... I don't understand what the
\nmoney is for,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Cipulir market head N. Taryono said his office did not collect
\nany fees other than those PD Pasar Jaya stipulated.<\/p>\n
The Cipulir market provides 100 spaces for vendors with fees
\nranging from Rp 150,000 to Rp 200,000 depending on size and
\nposition.<\/p>\n
Joni, a children's clothes seller in Kebayoran Lama, said he
\npaid Rp 1,750 a day to people he identified as city market firm
\nofficials.<\/p>\n
\"I pay Rp 1,000 to one official and Rp 750 to another
\nofficial,\" Joni said. His space cost Rp 125,000.<\/p>\n
Kebayoran Lama market has 110 spaces for vendors. The spaces
\ncost between Rp 75,000 and Rp 125,000 each.<\/p>\n
In response to the councilor's comments Pasar Jaya's business
\ndirector Hamzah Jaspinoe said tougher measures were needed to
\ncontrol illegal collectors.<\/p>\n
Rp 1 million<\/p>\n
Councilor Hasan Dasy said vendors should not be exploited. He
\nwas referring to the high fee imposed on vendors with spaces in
\nBlok M where rental fees can reach Rp 1 million.<\/p>\n
\"That's too expensive. It will not only burden the vendors,
\nbut also the consumers,\" Hasan said.<\/p>\n
Pasar Jaya said earlier only 10 of 152 markets were designated
\nto accommodate roadside vendors during Ramadhan. All 10 are in
\nSouth and Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The ten markets provide 1,069 vendor spaces and rental fees
\nrange from Rp 20,000 to Rp 1 million.<\/p>\n
In South Jakarta, markets providing extra space for roadside
\nvendors are Cipulir, Kebayoran Lama, Blok M Melawai, Blok A and
\nPasar Minggu markets. In Central Jakarta the markets are Tanah
\nAbang, Pasar Senen, Kebon Jati, Bendungan Hilir and Palmerah.
\n(ste)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-councillors-rebuke-market-authority-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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