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)