Cheap market in Tangerang

TANGERANG (JP): The economics section of the Tangerang mayoralty is organizing a market selling cheap foodstuffs on Tuesday and Wednesday to enable the needy to celebrate the Idul Fitri holidays.

E. Habibah, chairwoman of the section, said on Tuesday that the market was intended mainly for the mayoralty's employees of the lowest rank, contract workers and poor people living near the mayoralty office.

"At least 22 companies and five cooperatives are taking part in the cheap market, displaying various products ranging from textiles, garments and shoes to food and beverages. The products are sold at discounted prices," she said.

Habibah explained that her section was also providing 5,000 packs of foodstuffs, each consisting of 5 kilograms of rice, 1.2 kg of eggs, 1 kg of sugar, 1 kg of cooking oil and 1 kg of wheat flour. Each pack has a market price of Rp 50,00 and may be bought at Rp 33,000, she said.

On Tuesday Tangerang Mayor H.M. Thamrin handed over 1,800 packs of free-of-charge foodstuffs to old people from six districts and another 300 packs for orphaned children.

Local people warmly hailed the mayoralty's initiative in giving out the free-of-charge foodstuffs and holding the cheap market.

They hoped that the foodstuffs would be given to those who really needed them.

They also urged the mayoralty to extend the duration of the cheap market so as to enable poor people to buy what they needed. (41/hhr)