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)