Fishermen question fishery agency policy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City councilors urged the fishery agency
\nyesterday to investigate the alleged unfair allocation of auction
\nspaces in North Jakarta's fish market.<\/p>\n
Chairman of Commission B for Economic Affairs Sahala Sinaga
\nsaid he believed the alleged unfair space allocation at
\nthe Muara Angke fish market was due to collusion by certain
\nparties.<\/p>\n
Sahala promised to pass vendors' complaints to the head of the
\nfishery agency.<\/p>\n
"The municipality has provided a budget for the agency and the
\nagency needs to act transparently while distributing the space,
\nusually done by drawing a lot," Sahala said.<\/p>\n
Led by the chairman of the Jakarta Fish Vendors Cooperation
\nHapipie Tohani, some 30 fish vendors filed their complaints to
\nthe commission yesterday. They said the agency had given them
\nsmaller auction spaces compared to the non-regular Muara Angke
\nfish vendors.<\/p>\n
The fish vendors, who were part of 200 vendors from the old
\nfish market, said the agency had promised to acquire the same
\nauction space once they agreed to move to the new place.<\/p>\n
Of the 200 vendors, only 125 received space as large as six
\nlapak per person, said Hapipie. One lapak is equivalent to two
\nsquare meters.<\/p>\n
"We are being discriminated against by the agency while the
\nnon-regular vendors can have a larger space than we do," Fayumi,
\na seller, said. Hapipie said other vendors, including those from
\nthe Sunda Kelapa and Muara Baru's markets, could obtain auction
\nspace as large as 18 lapak.<\/p>\n
There were 875 lapak available at the new Muara Angke fish
\nmarket. A non-regular Muara Angke fish vendor paid Rp 11 million
\nto obtain eight lapak while other non-regular vendors could
\nsecure a 16 lapak space, he said.<\/p>\n
Hapipie said the agency had also forced the fish auctioneers
\nto pay a lot of illegal levies. Vendors are required to pay Rp
\n5,000 (US$2.04) for monthly rent, Rp 20,000 for a 30-watt
\nelectricity bill and a daily donation of Rp 1,000.<\/p>\n
He said the electricity fee was high for a 30 watt capacity
\nand an electricity meter was not available. The auctioneers also
\ndemanded an explanation for the Rp 1,000 daily contribution fee.
\nThe agency also collected Rp 500 for every 100 kilogram catch.<\/p>\n
Sahala recommended the regular vendors file their complaint to
\nthe new councilor who will be inaugurated in July.<\/p>\n
Councilor Suwarno Murjo questioned the vendors' selling permit
\nand said the agency would act justly if every seller had a
\nlicense. "If it's proven that they have the license and receive
\nunfair treatment, the commission will see to it that the problems
\nwill be solved."<\/p>\n
To obtain a lapak, fish vendors need to complete all three
\nrequirements which are owning the license and Jakarta
\nidentification card and paying the government retribution. (10)<\/p>",
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