Glodok traders set to get new home at Gambir market
Glodok traders set to get new home at Gambir market
JAKARTA (JP): Gambir market at Kota Baru Bandar Kemayoran in
Central Jakarta is set to be the new home for electronic and
computer traders from Glodok whose shops were destroyed during
the May riots.
Faizal Motik, an official in charge of overseeing the
relocation of traders from the city's Chinatown, said in a media
briefing Saturday that registration would open today.
The market will serve as a substitute for Glodok, which was
considered the capital's electronic and computer business center.
Faizal said it would need at least three years to renovate the
Glodok market before it could fully function.
The site was chosen as it was considered safe, spacious and
far from residential areas, Faizal was quoted by Antara as
saying.
Faizal was accompanied by the president of PT Jakarta
International Trade Fair Corp. (JITFC), Gito Bantas, who owns the
Gambir market land, and the director of PT Pasar Gambir, Rachmat
Sutiono.
Rachmat said the former Glodok traders would obtain a rental-
free facility for between six months to one year.
He said the size of Glodok traders' material and financial
losses would be taken into account in deciding the rental-free
period.
He said the relocation project would involve PT Pasar Gambir,
the Glodok traders association and related institutions,
including the city administration.
"The city administration will provide us with data on Glodok
traders whose businesses were severely hit by the riots."
He said a preliminary report showed that 600 shops in Glodok
were burned down. Of those, 200 sold electronic and computer
goods.
Gito said he had appealed to Japanese electronic and computer
companies to give soft loans or grants for the Glodok traders
willing to move to Gambir market.
"We (the market management and the Japanese investors) have
not yet reached an agreement, but an informal meeting concluded
that such scheme is feasible."
Apparently, the Japanese were interested in the idea of
creating an Akihabara, or a major electronics and computer center
at Kemayoran, Gito said. (ivy)