Kramatjati market vendors protest

JAKARTA: About a hundred traders at the Kramat Jati wholesale market in East Jakarta expressed their opposition to the plan of the market development, as it will increase their daily operational costs.

Muslim Muzakir, a fruit trader at the market, said that the traders particularly disagreed to the plan to move the "loading and unloading" facilities from in front of the kiosks to the place located some 60 meters away.

According to Muslim, if the plans to develop the Kramat Jati market is implemented, the traders would have to spend at least double to pay porters for the handling of their goods.

"Now, the trader pays Rp 20,000 per ton for loading or unloading the commodities. If the new location is implemented the traders would have to pay at least Rp 40,000 per ton," Muslim added.

He said that some 2,500 tons of commodities are loaded and unloaded in the Kramat Jati market every day.

Another reason for the traders' opposition is that security for their goods in the new place is not guaranteed.

Chairman of the City Council's Commission B for Economic Affairs Slamet Zulkarnain Ginting said that he would summon the executives of city market operator, PD Pasar Jaya, to question the issue. --JP