Senen traders protest against intimidation<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Seventeen traders from block I and II of Senen
\nMarket in Central Jakarta went to the City Council on Tuesday
\nin protest of the lease from PT Pembangunan Jaya and alleged
\nthreats made by the management of the company.<\/p>\n
"We are representing around 450 fellow traders to complain
\nabout PT Pembangunan Jaya's use of intimidation to force us to
\nsign a new contract which is not fair to us," Zainal Abidin,
\nleader of the traders told Commission B which oversees economic
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
He said that the traders had refused to sign the new 1994-1999
\nlease because there are numerous clauses in it which are quite
\nunfair. "The contract contains provisions that put us at a
\ndisadvantage. Officials of the company then intimidated us into
\nsigning the contract," Zainal said.<\/p>\n
"At first we were not allowed to read the lease before signing
\nit. When we refused to sign they allowed us to see it but would
\nnot allow us to change the contents," he added.<\/p>\n
Zainal said that the contract was different from the old one,
\nincluding the leasing period which has been changed from 10 years
\nto five years.<\/p>\n
He alleged that the company often took high-handed actions
\nwhich halts business.<\/p>\n
"Recently, one shop was sealed up because the owner was only
\none day behind schedule in paying the rent and there was no
\nwarning issued beforehand," he added.<\/p>\n
The delegation also questioned the status of traders who have
\nbeen operating there since 1966, when the building was first
\nbuilt. At that time the city required them to pay various fees
\nwhich presumably entitled them to certain rights.<\/p>\n
From the documents presented by the delegation, a trader named
\nUmar Sjatha paid Rp 167.53 million in 1966, equivalent to about
\nUS$76,781 today, to meet the requirements to buy a shop in the
\ncomplex.<\/p>\n
History<\/p>\n
Senen Market was built in 1966 by the municipality from funds
\ncollected from the sale of land in Slipi, Sentiong, Senen,
\nCempaka Putih and Gatot Subroto.<\/p>\n
At that time the Badan Pemerintah Harian appointed PT
\nPembangunan Jaya as the developer. Forty percent of its shares
\nare owned by the City administration while the rest belong to
\nprominent businessmen, including Ciputra the real estate tycoon.<\/p>\n
It was burned down in 1974 after the Malari riots and then was
\nrebuilt. The traders were given 10 year leases which expired in
\n1984, with an option to renew for another 10 years.<\/p>\n
The delegation has questioned the ownership of the building
\ncomplex, whether the municipality or PT Pembangunan Jaya hold the
\ntitle. The company has claimed that it owns the building and
\ntherefore can make any changes it wants at the expense of the
\ntraders.<\/p>\n
"I think they want to sell the plots to other traders who are
\nwilling to pay higher rents because of its strategic position,"
\nsaid Irwan, another trader.<\/p>\n
The commission, headed by Amarullah Asbah, deplored the action
\ntaken by the company and promised the traders that it will hold
\ntalks about the matter with the PT Pembangunan Jaya management.<\/p>\n
"We agree that the contract provision should be changed back
\nto 10 years from five," Amarullah said.(yns)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/senen-traders-protest-against-intimidation-1447893297",
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