Monas park proposed for vendors during Ramadhan
Monas park proposed for vendors during Ramadhan
JAKARTA (JP): A councilor urged the city administration yesterday to use the National Monument (Monas) park as a center for street vendors during the current fasting month of Ramadhan.
Hasan Dasy, a councilor from the commission B for economic affairs, said that the city administration should give street vendors a place to do their businesses during Ramadhan and Monas is an appropriate choice.
He said the traders, who are allowed to open their business in Monas, are food and clothes sellers.
"The city administration can turn Monas into a street vendors' center from 4 until 6 p.m. every day during Ramadhan," he said.
Hasan said the traders should pay a fee of Rp 5,000 (US$2.32) per day to guarantee that the park will always be clean after the close of business.
He said the city administration should help the traders to get appropriate places to sell their merchandise during Ramadhan because they have been paying a great deal of money to some officials of PD Pasar Jaya to get temporary places in the markets owned by the company.
"For example, last year they had to pay as much as Rp 500,000 for a spot in a marketplace. It is not right, the city administration should help them," he said.
He said by providing a special location in Monas for the traders during Ramadhan the city administration will not have to chase them away from illegal spots.
Hasan also urged the city-owned market company to distribute the spots fairly and not make illicit financial gains from the traders.
Each year, PD Pasar Jaya provides special spots in 265 marketplaces it owns for street vendors.
The spokesman for the company, Lihardin Sipayung, denied allegations that the company was fooled by some people who bought the spots but then sold them on at higher prices to the traders.
"It's not our fault, how did we know that they are not traders and sell the spots with high prices," he said.
Lihardin refused to say what the price of a spot is, saying it depends on the width and location.
This year the company will sell spots in all of its markets, except Tanah Abang market because there are no free spots there, 14 days before the Islamic holiday of Idul Fitri. (yns)