Riot-hit market traders balk at funding repairs

JAKARTA (JP): Traders at traditional markets burned and destroyed during the May massive riots here last year are strongly opposing the city administration's plan to collect money from them for market renovations.

Contacted by The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, some of the traders said they were told by executives of city-owned market management company PD Pasar Jaya recently that all occupants whose kiosks were wrecked in the six markets, which were severely damaged by mobs in the brutal fray, would be subject to renovation charges of between Rp 1.8 million and Rp 3.5 million per square meter, depending on the market location.

"It's really too hard for us to meet such obligation as it's already hard for us to even earn just a small profit (from trading) these days," Lili, a jewelry seller at Pasar Minggu market in South Jakarta, said.

"Our kiosk was looted, set ablaze, so how can the administration still ask for money from us?" she said.

Moreover, Lili said, she had already finished paying her rent to cover the 20-year lease on her 12-square-meter kiosk. She sign the lease and took possession of the kiosk seven years ago.

Therefore, she said, Pasar Jaya had no legal reason to collect money from kiosk tenants because they had already paid their rent in full before the riot occurred.

According to Lili, almost all of the traders in the market would refuse to pay Pasar Jaya for the renovation of their gutted kiosks.

Another jewelry seller, Oyong, said the traders had already voiced their objections over Pasar Jaya's plan in a meeting with the company's director for technical affairs, Bambang Setiarto, late last year.

"But we haven't received a response from him so far," he said.

During the meeting, Bambang did not precisely say when the renovations would start.

Oyong, whose 36-square-meter kiosk was gutted in the May riots, urged the administration to use the city budget to subsidize the renovations, instead of expecting traders to pay for the work.

Mobs in May attacked at least 13 traditional markets, all of which were under the management and supervision of Pasar Jaya, leaving 3,384 kiosks and stores seriously or partly damaged.

Out of the 13 markets, six suffered the most damage during the unrest. One thousand and seventy-two kiosks and stores were severely damaged in the six markets.

The six traditional markets are Palmerah and Cempaka Putih markets in Central Jakarta; Perniagaan and Glodok in West Jakarta; and Cipete and Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta.

City officials claim that losses in the six markets amounted to some Rp 56 billion.

Of the gutted markets, only Cempaka Putih has been built and resumed operation in late August.

The Ministry of Finance has allocated Rp 68 billion to the city administration for the renovation of all gutted markets.

When contacted on Wednesday, head of Pasar Jaya Sjahril Tanjung said his office faced no significant problems with the fund allocation, which will be disbursed in stages, depending on needs.

He gave no statement on the traders' demand but insisted that the traders, based on the regulation, "should renew their leases if their market was burned down".

Traders in Palmerah who are obliged to pay between Rp 3 million and Rp 3.5 million per square meter for renovations also expressed strong objection.

Food seller M. Yasin said: "I just started my business here four years ago and have spent Rp 15 million on a 20-year lease.

"Thus, it'll be really burdensome if we have to pay more money to the market management."

Pasar Jaya executives held a meeting with Palmerah traders recently but reached no agreement with the merchants.

A pharmaceutical seller, Zulkarnain, hoped the administration would reconsider the plan because "some of us have just completed paying installments according to our leases".

"Please, please reconsider it," he begged.

According to Pasar Jaya boss Sjahril, his office will start renovating Cipete, Palmerah and Pasar Minggu markets beginning this month.

Palmerah market will be rebuilt by PT Handayani Reka Prama, Pasar Minggu by PT Dewa Apzata and Cipete by PT Pacifik Lembayung Mas, he added.

Renovation work on the markets will cost Rp 17.7 billion, which will be taken from the Rp 68 billion fund from the central government, Sjahril added.

"The rest of the fund will be used for demolishing and rebuilding Glodok market, which is expected to be completed within one year and two months," he said.

He said the renovation of Perniagaan market has not been decided upon. (ind)