Residents support Taman Puring closure<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Businesspeople, workers and residents near Taman
\nPuring in South Jakarta expressed support for last week's closure
\nof the park's flea market in a bid to ease traffic in the area.<\/p>\n
However, they also criticized the city administration for
\nbeing overly harsh in its action. They also expressed concern for
\nthe fate of the vendors at the park.<\/p>\n
Djaelani, a security guard chief at Wisma Gandaria III office
\nbuilding located across from the park, said it was better that
\nthe site was used solely as a park.<\/p>\n
\"But the administration should be serious in handling the
\nrelocation of traders by providing a new place which is adequate
\nfor business. It is the administration's responsibility because
\nit did nothing when the vendors started trading in the area,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the vendors' presence had become a problem to others
\nbecause sometimes they got drunk and fought each other.<\/p>\n
\"Though the incidents had no direct impact on us, people were
\nafraid,\" he said.<\/p>\n
His colleague Sudirman said the South Jakarta mayoralty did
\nnot act firmly and should have acted as soon as the number of
\nvendors continued to increase.<\/p>\n
\"That's why it has been difficult to take action against them
\nafter their number became so large,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Vendors started to flock to Taman Puring when then South
\nJakarta mayor Pardjoko announced he would allow traders to
\noperate on the site, known as Pasar Sabtu Minggu or Pasar Tunggu
\nin reference to the flea market's operational days of Saturday
\nand Monday, to help them cope with the economic crisis.<\/p>\n
But their number continuously increased until the whole park
\nwas occupied with stalls, especially when the Idul Fitri holiday
\napproached.<\/p>\n
Public bus driver Udin said he hoped traffic in the area would
\nbecome smoother after the park was free of vendors.<\/p>\n
\"I pass the area many times every day and there is always
\nheavy traffic because too many people park their vehicles
\nirregularly and public transportation drops off and picks up
\npassengers all over the place,\" said Udin, who plies the Tanah
\nAbang-Ciputat bus route.<\/p>\n
However, he opposed the way the administration demolished the
\nkiosks.<\/p>\n
\"The administration's officials have showed brutality by
\ndemolishing the kiosks. They could have acted more humanely by
\njust closing the area and letting the owners take away their
\nbelongings,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Owner of a computer service shop Andrianto, who supported the
\nclosure, said the flea market had become a place for people to
\ntrade stolen goods.<\/p>\n
\"Shop owners often found their lost merchandise at the
\nmarket,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, housewife Suratin and student Gordon regretted the
\nflea market closure, saying they enjoyed shopping there.<\/p>\n
Suratin said she liked how she could find good quality shoes
\nat reasonable prices.<\/p>\n
\"I have three children for whom I have to buy new shoes for
\nevery Idul Fitri holiday or for school,\" said the woman who lives
\nin the nearby Cipulir area.<\/p>\n
A similar sentiment was voiced by Gordon, who said the flea
\nmarket had become a place where he could sell his belongings
\nevery time he needed money and where he could also buy cheap
\ngoods.<\/p>\n
\"I even sold my wristwatch here when I badly need money to pay
\nmy school fees,\" said the student of Gunadarma University in
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Separately, City Council speaker Edy Waluyo said the council
\nsupported the city administration's closure of the market and
\nurged it to continue its public order operations.<\/p>\n
\"The City Council supports operations to uphold public order
\nconducted by the city administration, as we must recognize the
\nsupremacy of the law,\" he said during a meeting with South
\nJakarta authorities to discuss last Saturday's closure of the
\nflea market in Taman Puring.<\/p>\n
Edy said the mayoralty was only doing its duty by closing the
\nflea market, as the policy had been decided by the city
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
\"We will also ask the city administration to give detailed
\ninformation on its public order policy,\" he added. (ind\/05)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/residents-support-taman-puring-closure-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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