Kemang delegation gets no joy from City Council

JAKARTA (JP): A deputation claiming to represent employees of Kemang businesses was told yesterday it should not expect the city administration to change its mind over the planned closures.

The head of Commission E for social welfare, Soeparmo, told the five-person deputation that the council supported the administration's plan to restore Kemang, South Jakarta, to a residential area in line with the city plan.

"The important thing is how to look after the workers," he said.

The deputation represented about 60 people who attended the City Council yesterday, claiming to be Kemang business employees.

The administration announced last month that 180 businesses in the area would be closed down by the end of the month.

The members of the deputation, and those waiting outside Commission E's meeting room, refused to identify themselves or their place of employment when asked. They claimed only to be "Kemang workers".

Outside the council building, when one woman said: "I am an employee of Adorama Photo Studio," her friend elbowed her as though indicating not to say anything.

A commission member, Nitra Arsyad, said the commission had not been notified that the workers would attend yesterday.

The head of the public order and entertainment subdivision of the public order office, Toha Reno, said he doubted whether the protest was genuine.

"I believe that the visit was 'set up' by some of the businessmen in Kemang," he told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

"If the workers truly want to fight for their rights, they should have complained to their employer, not to the City Council. The businessmen in Kemang must be responsible for their workers.

"From the beginning they have known that building a commercial site in a residential area is wrong. So, they have to pay for their actions, including the fact that they have to be responsible for their workers," he said.

The deputation visited head of the Golkar faction Fatommy Asaari, who then took them into the Commission E meeting room.

Fatommy, who is not a member of the commission, cochaired the meeting with Soeparmo. He urged the administration not to be hasty in closing the businesses.

"Give the businesspeople time so that they can think of a way out."

The chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party faction, Lukman Mokoginta, said yesterday that businesses affected by the administration's decision should relocate for their employees' sake.

Lukman said that the administration should not change its decisions every time there was a complaint.

"Jakarta will be in chaos if we are constantly changing our policies because of the interests of a few.

"We are reorganizing Jakarta, not only Kemang."

Governor Sutiyoso told the Post yesterday that the dismissal of workers was a consequence of the city's crackdown on non- complying businesses in the Kemang area.

"I intend to enforce the rules and stick by the municipality's decision to ensure Kemang is returned to its original land use purpose.

"But, of course, I will not neglect the unemployed workers. The municipality will find the best solution for them," he said, refusing to elaborate further.

The South Jakarta mayoralty closed the first 13 illegally operating businesses last Tuesday and Wednesday.

The businesses included J & J Restaurant, Soto Kudus Kemang, Cafe Padussi, Cafe Linggar, BCA bank, Star Mart minimart, Rossini Bakery and Iams Eukanuba pet food shop. (edt/ind)