Pekanbaru Mayor Issues Stern Warning as Pasar Bawah Revitalisation Stalls

Pekanbaru Mayor Agung Nugroho conducted an unannounced inspection of the Pasar Wisata Pasar Bawah building on Thursday (30/7) and expressed frustration over the stalled progress. The mayor noted that the revitalisation work has been suspended for more than three months, despite numerous complaints from traders.

According to the cooperation agreement between the Pekanbaru City Government and the managing firm PT Ali Akbar Sejahtera, the market revitalisation was supposed to be completed by 2025. However, as of mid-2026, the work is only approximately 60 percent complete. The city government, through the Industry and Trade Office, has already issued a first and second written warning to the management.

Agung stated that a third warning will be issued, and a meeting with the management, contractor, and traders is scheduled for early next week to address the issue. ‘If the third warning does not result in completion, we will terminate the contract. An audit will then be conducted,’ he asserted. Should the contract with the third party be terminated, the city government will take over the construction to prevent further losses for the traders, especially given the market’s status as an icon of Pekanbaru. The mayor identified financing issues between the contractor and the management as the primary cause of the delay and demanded open management to resolve the impasse.