Parcel business slow as officials asked not to accept gratuities
Parcel business slow as officials asked not to accept gratuities
Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The anticorruption call made by the Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK) ahead of Idul Fitri has proven effective, and
the city's parcel business is slowing down, even as New Year
nears.
The KPK had called on state officials to refrain from
receiving gifts and parcels in an effort to combat bribery.
Sulaeman Tantowi, owner of the Soel One parcel shop on Jl. H.
Samali in Kalibata, South Jakarta, said the KPK's call had hurt
the business.
He said he usually sold around 1,000 parcels during the Idul
Fitri, Christmas and New Year holidays.
"Until today, I've been able to sell only 300 parcels. This
year, I'd be lucky if I could sell 500 ... the break-even point,"
said Sulaeman, who began the parcel business in the mid-1990s.
He said unlike last year, when many government officials
placed orders for parcels, this year, orders were mostly coming in
from private companies and individuals.
"The best-selling parcels are the ones with Bohemian crystal
glasses," said Sulaeman. A parcel could range from Rp 900,000
(US$97.82) to Rp 2.5 million each.
Another parcel shop owner, Pako, said he had only sold about
200 parcels as of Tuesday.
"Normally, a week before New Year, business is crazy with
people ordering hundreds of parcels. I usually sell around 500
parcels."
Pako sells parcels from Rp 250,000 to Rp 500,000 each, and his
customers this year were mostly individuals, not corporations or
officials.
Parcel shops in Cikini, Central Jakarta, have also seen a
slump in business.
"I'm not expecting huge sales, now. I only hope to sell 100
more parcels -- just so I can break even and my business won't
suffer a loss," said Farida, proprietress of the Cahaya parcel
shop.
She also said that her parcels, which sell for Rp 350,000 to
Rp 750,000 each, were mostly picked up by private companies and
individuals.
"Last year around this time, I sold about 700 parcels. But
things are getting worse this year. It's only three days until
New Year and I've only managed to sell 300 parcels, all because
of this letter," she said, showing a KPK circular strongly urging
state officials not to send or receive parcels.