Company sees textile market opportunity

The Jakarta Post Jakarta

Seeing a business opportunity in Tanah Abang market's notorious reputation as the country's largest and most crowded textile market, a private company has proposed to build an alternative textile and garment trading center in Cipulir, South Jakarta.

Rusdi Yusuf, head of the City Development Planning Board (Bappeda), revealed on Thursday that the proposal was made by private company PT Aspac Mitra Consultindo.

"We cannot go into detail yet in regards the construction plan for the market, as we need to meet several more times to discuss specific issues," he told reporters at City Hall after accompanying representatives of the company to a meeting with Governor Sutiyoso.

He said the new market would be located in a two-hectare plot belonging to PT Bank Bukopin. The plot is located close to Cipulir Market, which is managed by city market operator PD Pasar Jaya.

According to Rusdi, during the meeting, Sutiyoso demanded a more detailed proposal from PT Aspac Mitra Consultindo, inclusive of information on the property's ownership -- that it was not under dispute -- and the planned layout of the market.

Tanah Abang Market was home to 7,600 textile kiosks owned by about 4,700 traders before a massive fire in mid-February destroyed 2,420 kiosks.

Thousands of vendors also do business on the roads adjacent to the market, causing serious traffic congestion in the area.

Head of City Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises Agency Syamsul Hilatana hoped the new market could accommodate those vendors who have opened shop in areas where sidewalk vendors are banned.

He said the administration could only accommodate some 30,000 street vendors from among the 147,000 in the capital.