Jakarta Legislator Agrees on Strengthening Village Cooperatives and Regulating Modern Minimarkets
A member of Commission C of the Jakarta Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD), Lukmanul Hakim, stated that he agrees with and supports the idea of developing and strengthening Village Cooperatives (Kopdes) Merah Putih and MSMEs to revitalize the real economy.
“My understanding is simple. If modern minimarkets continue to proliferate, the benefits are only reaped by a few. The profits accumulate with a handful of people. The community is only seen as a statistic of consumers. Although it seems quite radical, the idea of developing Kopdes and MSMEs and closing modern minimarkets is relevant to do now,” he said in a statement (February 26).
He emphasized that while forming Kopdes Merah Putih, the central government needs to instruct a rearrangement of the existing minimarkets.
According to him, the spread of modern minimarkets is too free, and in some areas, it is suspected of violating existing regulations. Therefore, a review and re-evaluation of the permits issued for modern minimarkets must be carried out. In fact, there are already many regulations regarding modern minimarkets in Indonesia, including Minister of Trade Regulation Number 23 of 2021 and Presidential Regulation 112/2007, which require compliance with zoning, a minimum distance of 500 meters from traditional markets, and mandatory possession of a modern retail business license (IUTM).
“Look now, there are some that are facing each other, and their positions are very close to traditional markets. What is this?” he exclaimed in annoyance.
According to him, it is not only about zoning violations but also about the limitation of operating hours until 10:00 PM. Partnerships with MSMEs are also not carried out transparently, so the presence of modern minimarkets has less impact on MSMEs that are producers in the areas they serve. Therefore, Lukman agrees with and supports the development of Kopdes Merah Putih and MSMEs, which was initiated by President Prabowo Subianto.
“Indeed, there are exceptions for operating hours, such as minimarkets in toll road rest areas, and in special places such as airports, train stations, and others. Those can continue, but those outside special areas must be regulated immediately. There is no need to delay it any longer,” he said.
He emphasized that the improvement of modern minimarkets also needs to be carried out in the Special Capital Region of Jakarta. Because Jakarta is a place where millions of people depend on for their livelihood and is a benchmark for other provinces.
Based on BPS (Central Statistics Agency) data in 2020, the number of minimarket outlets in Jakarta reached 2,696. The distribution is as follows: West Jakarta has 701 outlets, South Jakarta 688 outlets, East Jakarta 609 outlets, Central Jakarta 360 outlets, and North Jakarta 338 outlets. Only in the Thousand Islands is there no modern minimarket outlet.
“Jakarta must be an example and a pioneer in regulating modern minimarkets,” he said. (M-3)