Puring flea market still under dispute

Puring flea market still under dispute

JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta mayoralty office is yet to
settle a dispute with traders of the popular 27-year-old Taman
Puring flea market, following a planned demolition of the shops,
an official said on Thursday.

Deputy mayor Thamrin Ekajati said the demolition of the shops
would be carried out as soon as his office received approval from
Governor Sutiyoso.

"If the governor gives his OK now, we'll remove the vendors
from the park right now," he told The Jakarta Post.

Thamrin said the idea to clean up the area came from the
public, who repeatedly complained of traffic congestion and a
garbage backlog in the area.

He said in his opinion the city administration had shown
tolerance to the Taman Puring traders by permitting the vendors
to carry on with their enterprises. The market offers a wide
range of secondhand items, including electronic goods, sports
items, mobile accessories and household appliances.

In response to the public's complaint, the city administration
had decided to return the area to its previous function as a
green site in the capital, he said.

Thamrin said the vendors had been provided with various
options, such as help with moving to 11 other similar markets in
the city.

"But it's the traders themselves who make their own
decisions."

The traffic congestion usually reaches its peak on weekends
when people of all walks of life flock to the market to either
buy and sell goods.

The flea market is also known as a popular destination for the
sale of stolen goods.

Late last year, the local authority invited victims of the
economic crisis the opportunity to open nonpermanent structures
on the left side of the market, which was formerly a park.

Many people, including genuine traders, packed the site and
have enjoyed running businesses there, complicating matters for
the South Jakarta administration office.

According to the initial plan, all shops and kiosks at the
market were to be demolished last Thursday.

The plan, however, was canceled following the visit of a
delegation of vendors led by Bambang Herry to the city council
and City Hall two days earlier.

At the meeting Herry proposed an idea to refurbish the flea
market as a tourist market and park, which would preserve the
park's function and attract tourists.

In response, head of Commission D for development affairs Ali
Wongso said any constructions within a park should be temporary
only.

"I stick to my principle that a park should remain a park and
that any decision the government makes should be as fair as
possible," Ali said. (03)