Pasar Jaya suspends plan to demolish Tanah Abang market

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

City-run market operator PD Pasar Jaya finally bowed to pressure from traders and city councillors by suspending the demolition of the Tanah Abang textile market in Central Jakarta.

"There will be no activity here until the council's team of inquiry finishes its job," said PD Pasar Jaya's Tanah Abang market area manager Tasori, when he met on Friday with councillors of Commission B for economic affairs and Commission D for development affairs.

The inquiry team comprises 27 councillors, and was set up to investigate possible irregularities in the appointment of a private company to rebuild the market's blocks B, C, D and E.

Commission D chairman Sayogo Hendrosubroto, said, during the visit, that the team would appoint an independent institution to give a second opinion, after a study carried out by the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) recommended the market's demolition, due to the deteriorating condition of the four buildings.

Sayogo said the inquiry team, of which he is a member, needed around two months to complete its investigation.

PD Pasar Jaya president director Prabowo Soenirman said earlier that the company would go ahead with the demolition of the market in January. He claimed he did not need the council's approval to rebuild the market.

But Tasori said that the suspension had been approved by PD Pasar Jaya's board of directors.

The market operator had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with developer PT Sari Kebon Keruk Permai to rebuild the market.

Tanah Abang traders also protested the fencing off of Jl. Kebon Jati next to the market, following the relocation of 1,247 vendors from the road to Kebon Jati market, on the eve of the Idul Fitri, Nov. 13.

They said the fencing with zinc sheets had decreased their sales, as buyers thought the market had closed down.

PD Pasar Jaya plans to build temporary kiosks on the road to accommodate some 3,000 traders, who currently operate in the four blocks. The relevant agencies have issued permits for the construction of the temporary kiosks.

On Friday, workers were seen making preparations to construct the temporary kiosks and a bridge connecting block F of Tanah Abang market and Kebon Jati market. They had removed lane dividers from the road and begun constructing the foundations of the bridge.