Glodok street vendors to be moved: Sutiyoso

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has announced it will relocate the some 400 roadside vendors, most of whom sell pirated VCDs and small electronic goods, operating around the busy Glodok shopping center in West Jakarta beginning next year.

Governor Sutiyoso, who visited the popular electronics center on Friday, said the street vendors would be relocated to a four- story market in nearby Perniagaan, which is currently under renovation.

The governor said the move was needed to help overcome the chronic traffic congestion in the area.

The streets in the area, particularly parts of Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Jl. Gajah Mada and Jl. Pinangsia, witness heavy traffic jams throughout the day due to the presence of the traders on the side of the streets, and the buses and minibuses that wait for passengers in the crowded area.

A police station has been built near the site but there are never any officers deployed to direct traffic.

Uniformed police personnel often are seen sitting and standing among the roadside vendors.

The only option for the city administration, Sutiyoso said, was to move the traders to alleviate the traffic problems.

"These street vendors should be moved as the traffic congestion can no longer be tolerated. I expect the new market on Jl. Perniagaan will be a good place for these vendors," Sutiyoso said after experiencing the traffic congestion himself.

He also said the renovation of the Perniagaan market, known as Petak 9, was expected to be completed next April.

"Every street vendor should pay for the kiosks they will use, but of course the rent will be low so it will not burden them," Sutiyoso said.

Street vendors in Glodok have been a common sight for years. All types of pirated VCDs, from action films and pornography to karaoke songs, can be found here for between Rp 4,000 and Rp 7,000. Electronic goods such as small FM radios and TV antennas are also on offer.

The city administration and the police have repeatedly attempted to remove the vendors, but always to no avail. For their part, the vendors have repeatedly shown their reluctance to move from the area.

Last May, the traders ran riot after police detectives raided the area in the morning just when they were about to open their businesses. The vendors burned their wooden display stands to express their anger. No fatalities were reported in the incident, but shop owners in the permanent shopping center were upset by the violent actions of the vendors.

"Hopefully, the traders will be willing to accept the option to move, so we won't see any more congestion problems in the area," Sutiyoso said.

The Perniagaan market will have 885 kiosks with a parking capacity of 102 vehicles. The Ministry of Finance has provide some Rp 11 billion (US$1.2 million) to renovate the building.

Sutiyoso also inspected the work being done on Glodok market, which was burned down during the May 1998 riots that led to the downfall of former president Soeharto.

The Ministry of Finance distributed about Rp 60 billion to rebuild the four markets -- all managed by city market operator PD Pasar Jaya -- destroyed in the May 1998 riots, including Glodok market.

The other three markets, Cipete market and Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta, and Palmerah market in Central Jakarta, have already reopened.

PD Pasar Jaya president director Syahrir Tanjung said the Glodok project would be completed next March and vendors would be able to reopen their businesses in the market the following month. (dja)