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)