Economic team meet with Kota retailers

JAKARTA (JP): Three top economic ministers met with nearly 500 store owners at major shopping malls in the Kota area, West Jakarta on Thursday in recognition of the latter's importance to the country's economy.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli told the retailers at a meeting at the Omni Batavia Hotel that they should gear up for the upcoming economic recovery.

"If you don't hurry, you will miss the train," Rizal said.

The retailers who were mostly ethnic Chinese, manage stores in Harco, Glodok, Pancoran and Mangga Dua shopping malls, selling, among others: electronics, drugs, lubricating oil and textile.

Rizal, who was accompanied by Minister of Industry and Trade Luhut Panjaitan and Minister of Finance Prijadi Praptosuhardjo, estimated that stores in the Kota area have a combined total turnover of Rp 1 trillion ($120 million) a day.

The traders used this rare opportunity to air their grievances, which essentially were the presence of street traders and the collection of various levies by tax officers.

"Street-traders block the front of our stores, making the area dirty. People hesitate to shop in our stores," property entrepreneur Anwar Djoharsyah, who coordinated the gathering, said.

The retailers said the presence of streets-traders would eventually destroy their business.

They proposed that the government set up a special site for street-traders.

"We understand that street-traders have no other occupation. We have to find a solution for all of us," Anwar said.

The retailers had taken their complaint to the Jakarta Administration but had not obtained any response, he added.

The retailers also said they had been constantly harassed by people claiming to come from the tax office demanding various kinds of levies.

"This is happening too often," said Anwar, president of PT Property Graha Hijau.

They prefer to pay all their taxes at once and not be constantly harassed with numerous levies, he said,

Luhut Panjaitan told reporters later that the meeting was held to learn directly from the store owners the problems they face and to establish good communication with them.

He made no promises about their complaint on the levies, asking instead that the retailers come up with more evidence for the government to act on.

"Explain to us when, where and what kind of taxes had been imposed on you. We can't work on the basis of rumors," he said. (02)