Association mulls 'hawker tours'

Association mulls 'hawker tours'

JAKARTA: The Jakarta-based Indonesian Street Vendors
Association (APKLI) has proposed that the city organize "hawker
center tours".

"The goal is to change the image of the street vendors, who
are often blamed as the main cause in the capital's heavy traffic
congestion," APKLI chairman M. Muhdi said on Sunday.

He said three locations: Taman Sari in West Jakarta; Pasar
Rebo in East Jakarta; and Kemayoran in Central Jakarta would make
good tourist destinations.

"The West Jakarta administration has welcomed the plan," added
Muhdi, expressing the hope that the other municipalities in the
city would also support it.

There are at least 141,000 street vendors operating in the
city, with only around 10,000 of them under the management of the
city. -- Antara