City to open shops at major mosques

JAKARTA (JP): The municipality in cooperation with the Center for Information and Development Studies (CIDES) will set up and operate small shops at major mosques to sell basic food commodities at reasonable prices, a city official has said.

Prawoto S. Danumiharjo, assistant of administrative and development affairs, said on Wednesday the shops were intended to help local residents cope with skyrocketing prices of basic commodities.

"Mosques are places close to people and the (people at) mosques know better about their surroundings," he said.

Prawoto explained that local residents would be involved with the opening of the shops and that people should feel empowered by the project.

Initially, the city plans to open shops in five mosques.

Officials would then consider an expansion to the project if considered viable, Prawoto said without further elaboration.

The pilot project would start Saturday at the Matraman Grand Mosque in Central Jakarta, he said.

Based on city data, there were 2,374 mosques throughout the city in 1997.

Prawoto said CIDES was taking an advisory role in training employees for the project. (ind)