Jakarta Great Sales '97 opens throughout city

JAKARTA (JP): Jakartans can find more tempting discounts now because Jakarta Great Sales '97 begins today at 50 shopping centers and malls in conjunction with the city's' 470th anniversary.

The one-month event also simultaneously coincides with the 30th annual Jakarta Trade Fair and the annual school holidays. Discounts, which range from 5 percent to 70 percent, are offered by 1,140 vendors and retailers.

The shopping sales season was opened yesterday by Governor Surjadi Soedirdja at Mal Taman Anggrek in Slipi, West Jakarta.

The opening, which was enlivened by traditional dances as well as modern ones, was also attended by chief coordinator Peter Sondakh, actress Rae Sita Supit, fashion designer Poppy Dharsono and artist Guruh Soekarno Putra, son of the late president Sukarno.

Surjadi said the discounts would definitely attract Jakarta shoppers and boost the city's service industry.

"Around 65 percent of city revenues come from the service sector," he said, adding that Jakartans should be proud of local products whose quality is as good as imported products.

He also said that Jakarta would be a favorite tourist destination and trade center before the free trade era of 2003.

Besides prestigious shopping malls such as Sarinah and Senayan Plaza, other shopping centers, which usually sell local products, also offer competitive prices.

Those markets include hundreds of kiosks and department stores in Jatinegara Market, East Jakarta, Pasar Minggu and Pasar Cipulir in South Jakarta, Bird Market in Jl. Pramuka, Pasar Senin in Central Jakarta and Rawa Bening in Bekasi.

Sondakh, who is also the president director of Hero Supermarket, acknowledged that Jakarta Great Sales followed the example of sales events in Singapore.

"Salespeople in Singapore are very knowledgeable about the products they offer," he said.

He added that organizers would try to improve the quality of salespeople.

Sondakh added that the Singapore government fully supported similar sales events there to increase the city-state's revenue. (10)