City councillors rebuke market authority

JAKARTA (JP): City councilors rebuked the market authority, PD Pasar Jaya, yesterday for not taking action against city market roadside vendors having to pay illegal levies.

The councilors who visited the Cipulir and Kebayoran Lama markets in South Jakarta were told by the vendors that they each had to pay Rp 1,750 (US$0.7) a day in illegal levies.

At least 200 roadside vendors have been occupying spaces at the markets since Ramadhan began. They will stay there until after Idul Fitri.

The chairman of Commission B for Economic Affairs, Sahala Sinaga said "the imposition of illegal levies by irresponsible people is against the administration's policy to help vendors with business spaces during the fasting month. The market authority PD Pasar Jaya should not be blind to these outlawed practices".

PD Pasar Jaya said a vendor was charged a rental fee for the space and Rp 5,000 in sanitation and security fees.

The rental fee depended on a business' size and its location, he said.

The councilors were at the markets to monitor the prices of goods and the distribution of spaces to vendors during Ramadhan.

Sahala acknowledged it was hard to stop illegal levies being imposed on vendors. "This happens every year to roadside vendors who get business spaces at markets. PD Pasar Jaya should have anticipated the problem and taken stern action against those involved in the practice," he said.

"The vendors must compensate for the money they pay in illegal levies with higher prices for the goods they sell. In the end the consumers are victimized," he said.

Mrs. Umar, who sells women's clothes at the Cipulir market, said she paid Rp 200,000 for a four-square-meter space plus the Rp 5,000 sanitation and security fee.

"I also pay Rp 1,000 every day ... I don't understand what the money is for," she said.

Cipulir market head N. Taryono said his office did not collect any fees other than those PD Pasar Jaya stipulated.

The Cipulir market provides 100 spaces for vendors with fees ranging from Rp 150,000 to Rp 200,000 depending on size and position.

Joni, a children's clothes seller in Kebayoran Lama, said he paid Rp 1,750 a day to people he identified as city market firm officials.

"I pay Rp 1,000 to one official and Rp 750 to another official," Joni said. His space cost Rp 125,000.

Kebayoran Lama market has 110 spaces for vendors. The spaces cost between Rp 75,000 and Rp 125,000 each.

In response to the councilor's comments Pasar Jaya's business director Hamzah Jaspinoe said tougher measures were needed to control illegal collectors.

Rp 1 million

Councilor Hasan Dasy said vendors should not be exploited. He was referring to the high fee imposed on vendors with spaces in Blok M where rental fees can reach Rp 1 million.

"That's too expensive. It will not only burden the vendors, but also the consumers," Hasan said.

Pasar Jaya said earlier only 10 of 152 markets were designated to accommodate roadside vendors during Ramadhan. All 10 are in South and Central Jakarta.

The ten markets provide 1,069 vendor spaces and rental fees range from Rp 20,000 to Rp 1 million.

In South Jakarta, markets providing extra space for roadside vendors are Cipulir, Kebayoran Lama, Blok M Melawai, Blok A and Pasar Minggu markets. In Central Jakarta the markets are Tanah Abang, Pasar Senen, Kebon Jati, Bendungan Hilir and Palmerah. (ste)