Joint Task Force of 250 Personnel Deployed to Regulate Street Vendors in East Jakarta

Jakarta (ANTARA) - A joint force of 250 personnel was deployed to regulate street vendors (PKL) in the Jalan Raya Bogor area, East Jakarta (Jaktim). “This afternoon, the enforcement is focused on Jalan Raya Bogor, located on the border of Kramat Jati and Ciracas sub-districts. We are deploying around 250 personnel, a joint force,” said Head of the East Jakarta Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) Muhammadong at Jalan Raya Bogor, Ciracas, East Jakarta, on Thursday. The joint personnel, consisting of Satpol PP, TNI, and Polri elements, combed along Jalan Raya Bogor, particularly in the border area of Pasar Kramat Jati, which has long been crowded with PKL and illegal parking. This enforcement is part of efforts to uphold Regional Regulation No. 8 of 2007 on Public Order. The enforcement activity began with a readiness briefing held on Thursday afternoon. In the briefing, he emphasised that this enforcement is a routine agenda continuously carried out in East Jakarta, especially at points vulnerable to violations. According to him, this operation is not only about law enforcement but also a form of urban spatial arrangement to make it more orderly and comfortable for the public. In addition, the enforcement was carried out as a follow-up to various public complaints, whether submitted directly, in writing, through the mass media, or via the CRM-based complaint system. “We follow up on every public report. That becomes the basis for us to go to the field for enforcement,” Muhammadong stated. He emphasised that this enforcement prioritises a humane and persuasive approach. All personnel were asked to prioritise good communication, professionalism, and avoid arrogant actions when interacting with the public. “Our presence here is to arrange and provide solutions for creating a sense of security, comfort, and order for road users. Jalan Raya Bogor is a main traffic route, so its orderliness must be maintained,” he explained. He also reminded all personnel to carry out their duties with full responsibility and uphold ethics and norms. Officers were asked to provide warnings and understanding to the PKL regarding applicable rules, not merely carrying out crackdowns. In addition, he stressed the importance of synergy among agencies in this activity. According to him, the success of the enforcement is highly determined by the compactness and cooperation of all involved elements. “I remind all members to adhere to operational standards, maintain discipline, solidarity, as well as the safety of themselves and colleagues. No less important is maintaining the good name of Satpol PP in the eyes of the public and other agencies,” he said. With this enforcement, Muhammadong hopes that the Jalan Raya Bogor area can be neatly arranged again, so that traffic flow becomes smoother and the public can carry out activities comfortably. The enforcement action against street vendors (PKL) by the joint officers in the Jalan Raya Bogor area, Ciracas, East Jakarta (Jaktim) was marked by threats with sharp weapons (sajam) from a vendor. The initial enforcement, which took place around 2:35 PM WIB, was already met with resistance from several vendors. There was a verbal altercation between the vendors and the joint officers who began dismantling and arranging the stalls standing on the pavements and road shoulders. Panic peaked when the vendor suddenly raged. Unwilling to have his stall regulated, the vendor protested loudly while placing his approximately two-year-old son on top of an officer’s vehicle. The situation became increasingly tense when the vendor brandished a sharp weapon towards the officers while venting his emotions. Fortunately, Satpol PP, TNI, and Polri personnel at the location swiftly secured the situation. The vendor was calmed down, while the sharp weapon he carried was immediately secured before anything worse happened. Despite the incident, the joint officers continued the enforcement. Illegal stalls were levelled, and the area previously crowded with vendors was gradually cleared to restore the road’s function.