Jakarta Fair '99 not only for business
Jakarta Fair '99 not only for business
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Fair 1999 has opened an opportunity not
only to promote business but also to increase public awareness on
various social issues.
A large number of visitors was always the reason traders and
industrialists participated in the annual event. A similar reason
was aired by various social organizations participating in this
year's event.
Until yesterday, more than half a million people have visited
the bazaar, held at the former Kemayoran Airport in Central
Jakarta, from Aug. 6 until Aug. 22.
The Indonesian Women's Association For Justice (APIK), a
nongovernmental organization (NGO) promoting women's social and
legal rights, was among the nonbusiness institutions
participating in this year's event.
"We see the Jakarta Fair as a good opportunity to promote our
mission," Iit Rahmatin from APIK said.
She said many female visitors showed great interest with the
association's programs, especially its free legal consultation
for women.
"So far 13 guests have acquired our free legal advice, some
asking on behalf of friends or relatives," Iit said.
She said most female visitors came to APIK's stand asking for
solutions to gender-related cases, including divorce, spousal
abuse, sexual harassment and problems with boyfriends.
The stand provides the association's monthly newsletter and
brochures discussing cases of under-age prostitution, child abuse
and labor rights.
Swisscontact, a Swiss-based environmental organization, took
the opportunity to promote clean air in Jakarta.
In cooperation with the city administration, it is now working
on a program called SEGAR! Jakartaku (My Jakarta is fresh). The
program, aimed at reducing air pollution in the capital, focuses
on reducing gas emissions from motor vehicles.
Adya, a Swisscontact staff member, said they tried to persuade
car owners to regularly check the car's engine and always use
environmentally friendly products.
Yet the organization found it difficult to change people's
habits since environmentally friendly gasoline is more expensive
than regular.
About one block north, students of the Jakarta Art Institute
(IKJ) are grouped under Sekte Komik (comic group) Association of
comic writers. They opened a stand to promote Indonesian comics
amid the struggle against foreign domination of the comic
industry here.
"We are independent and don't restrict ourselves to a specific
comic style," comic artist, Al Fitri M.Z. said.
However, Alfi acknowledged that Japanese and American comics
strongly influenced local comic artists' writing style.
Sekte Komik's stand is usually crammed with people looking at
paintings and sketches of different comic creations decorating
the walls. Visitors can also procure their works, which are
unavailable in stores.
At one corner of the fair's exhibition hall, a group of
bookworms have set up a stand selling rare books through
auctioning.
The stand, Pasar Buku (book market), has already auctioned off
12 book collections.
One book, the first edition of "Dibawah Bendera Revolusi"
(Under the Flag of the Revolution) by Indonesia's first president
Sukarno, was auctioned off at Rp 1.5 million (US$196).
Most books were obtained from book markets in Pasar Senen,
Central Jakarta, and others from private collections.
To accommodate interests of other bookworms, they have opened
a book club for readers to trade information and discuss new
books. (03)