Market officials fires in tanah Abang cleanup
Market officials fires in tanah Abang cleanup
JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta mayoralty has fired at least
four executives from the Tanah Abang office of the city-owned
market company, PD Pasar Jaya, as part of its attempt to rid the
area of hoodlums and crooked officials.
The decision was made Monday after intensive interrogation
sessions with the four, Mayor Andi Subur Abdullah said.
He declined to elaborate further about the identity of the
executives and their alleged criminal roles.
"We decided to fire them because they have been found guilty
-- based on the probe carried out by the city's inspectorate --
of acting dishonestly during their tenure."
Subur said the mayoralty had also shifted its 150 officials
posted in Tanah Abang to other branches and jobs unrelated to the
area as of Monday.
"One of the main reasons behind the relocation of employees,
who have been stationed in Tanah Abang for quite a long time, to
other places, is in order to avoid collusion and corruption."
He said that the incoming officials would fill in for those
employees working in both district and subdistrict offices in
Tanah Abang.
"We'll also replace the chiefs of the subdistrict and the
district of Tanah Abang as soon as possible," Subur said. He did
not provide a date for the transfers.
The mayoralty's stern action follows the suggestion of a city
councilor, who last week condemned the alleged roles of some
Tanah Abang senior officials in conspiring with local hoodlums
which, in turn, had created an unfavorable atmosphere in the
area.
Djafar Badjeber, head of Commission B for economic affairs,
during a plenary session with the mayor last Wednesday, said:
"Most of the officials have been stationed there for more than 10
years. That is the root of corruption and collusion between them
and the hoodlums.
"The longer they stay, the greater the opportunities for
manipulation."
Djafar suggested that the best way to clean up Tanah Abang was
to relocate its officials in a bid to stamp out such practices.
The mayoralty's public order officers -- with the support of
police and military officers -- launched a major operation
against hoodlums, gambling dens and prostitutes last month.
At least 67 alleged hoodlums were rounded up and are being
forced to participate in a rehabilitation program in South
Jakarta.
And the mayoralty has demolished buildings which were believed
to be the home bases of hoodlums.
Despite the crackdown, the mayoralty still has to deal with
the hoodlums that remain in Tanah Abang.
Subur said that in order to maintain security and stability in
Tanah Abang, about 100 police officers had been assigned to
secure the area.
"So the residents of Tanah Abang won't have to worry about
anything. Everything is under control," he said. (edt)