Newspaper vendors dodge officials to survive

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Taking refuge from the scorching heat under the shade of a tree, Kana, 20, squats down and meticulously organizes his stack of newspapers, magazines and tabloids at a street corner in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

"The sweltering heat is the most tiring part of the job," said Kana, who sells his newspapers at a traffic light near Plaza Senayan. "I can't stand it, but if I don't cope with it, then I won't earn a penny."

Although Friday was officially a holiday, Kana and six other vendors on his street followed their usual routine of waking up at 5:00 a.m., picking up the tabloids and newspapers from an agency at 6:00 a.m. and selling them on the street by 7:00.

All the vendors on the street hail from the same village in Indramayu, West Java, and work 12-hour days, six days a week, with Sunday being their day off. The only interruptions to their daily 12-hour routine are a quick 15-minute lunch and the much- needed rest breaks under the shade of trees -- generally to avoid city public order officials.

"When they drive by, we have to stop selling," said Kana, who spends half the month peddling newspapers and half in Indramayu taking care of his widowed mother and five-year-old brother.

The vendors know the routine now and only resume selling after the patrol, consisting of about half a dozen officials in a pick- up truck, drives by a second time.

"We can't stay still too long," said Kana, who has been selling newspapers for six years. "We have to work hard since our income depends solely on how much we sell."

Kana said he earned roughly Rp 30,000 per day, a decent amount that allowed him to support his mother and brother and purchase a motorcycle on credit.

However, if it rains, Kana's income drops drastically.

"When it really pours down, sometimes it's not even enough for lunch," said Kana, who like most of the vendors wears a cap to offer some degree of protection from the blistering sun.

All the vendors the intersection, including Kana, were recruited by 28-year-old Saliban, whom they refer to as their boss.

Unlike his employees, Saliban is shielded from the hot rays, spending most of his time in a wooden shelter, either napping or chatting with plant sellers who also occupy the road.

Before he became their boss, Saliban, who is also from Indramayu, worked as a vendor for four years. However, when he married, he decided that his income as a vendor wouldn't be sufficient.

"I surveyed the area and found that nobody was selling newspapers on this street," said Saliban, who makes around Rp 50,000 to Rp 75,000 daily. "So, I recruited people and began selling newspapers here."

Saliban, who graduated from elementary school, said that the most difficult part of his job was managing his vendors, who since they were working on commission, were not bound by a fixed schedule.

"I have to keep them happy and motivated," said Saliban, whose wife and two children remain in Indramayu. "That is the challenge."

He also said the most troubling moment throughout his six years in this role, was when four of his vendors were put in jail by city public order officials.

"Usually, if I pay Rp 100,000 for each vendor, they can go free," Saliban said. "But at that time they were strict and asked for a fine of Rp 400,000."

Saliban could not afford the fine and as a result, the four vendors had to stay in jail for a week. After their release two of them quit, while the other two are still working for Saliban.

Nowadays he tries to maintain a good "working relationship" with the officials, giving them free newspapers daily and paying a weekly "fee" of Rp 20,000.

Because of this, although the patrol still drives by and tells the vendors to stop selling, they never arrest the vendors.

"They tolerate us now," said Saliban. "They also understand that we are here doing legitimate work." (002)