Poor Infrastructure and Weak Market Management Systems Lead to Quiet Markets

Inkoppas Secretary-General Andrian Lame Muhar said that the decline of traditional markets in Indonesia is not solely due to rampant online trading, but more so to poor infrastructure and weak market management. ‘What the central government is focusing on is that traditional markets are quiet because of online sales and falling purchasing power. But we reject that; the most significant factor is infrastructure problems in markets that deter visitors,’ he said in a statement received on 5 March. He added that poor infrastructure conditions push traders to close kiosks as buyers dwindle, further compounded by onerous retributions and suboptimal management. ‘As a result, the traditional market looks like a dead market. Fewer traders and fewer buyers,’ he said. Andrian explained that, referencing Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution and President Prabowo Subianto’s directives, Inkoppas urges that market vendor cooperatives be actively involved in market management, whether funded by private capital or the state budget (APBN). ‘If market vendor cooperatives are involved, traders feel at home. They will prepare their infrastructure themselves, neater and better guarded. Only residents of a house can fix their home,’ he noted. For markets built with the APBN, Inkoppas asks to be involved from the planning stage so that government-built kiosks are not left empty. ‘All this time, market construction by the central government has often not coordinated with cooperatives or traders’ associations, so traders are reluctant to move and state spending is wasted,’ he said. Andrian also praised the response of Trade Minister Budi Santoso. Just about two weeks after a February 20 audience, all stakeholders had already been convened to formulate concrete solutions, for which Andrian expressed appreciation. ‘I am grateful to the Minister; the response was swift. From 20 February we dialogued, and today they have been gathered and we have found a resolution,’ he concluded.