Monas to close this week

Monas to close this week

JAKARTA: The National Monument (Monas) park will be closed
from Tuesday to Sunday, with Governor Sutiyoso scheduled to
inaugurate the newly fenced-in park on Monday, Dec. 16.

The administration has spent Rp 9 billion to build a fence
around the park, a controversial project that has drawn much
public criticism.

The fence is meant to keep vendors out of the park, which
authorities hope will result in a cleaner and more orderly
environment.

Central Jakarta Mayor Petra Lumbun told beritajakarta.com that
after the reopening of the park a total of 647 vendors will be
allowed to operate in certain location in the area.

There are currently some 2,000 vendors, mostly people from
outside of Jakarta, operating in the park. Those without Jakarta
ID cards will be banned from operating in the area, in accordance
with the city administration's policy to curb the flow of
migrants by discouraging unskilled people from coming to the
city.

Lumbun said that after Monas' inauguration, a total of 1,200
auxiliary police and public order officers would be deployed to
secure the area and drive away vendors trying to work outside of
the designated locations.

The number of horse carts operating in the area also will be
decreased from 100 to 50. The drivers will be required to wear
traditional Betawi attire.--JP