Senen traders protest against intimidation
Senen traders protest against intimidation
JAKARTA (JP): Seventeen traders from block I and II of Senen
Market in Central Jakarta went to the City Council on Tuesday
in protest of the lease from PT Pembangunan Jaya and alleged
threats made by the management of the company.
"We are representing around 450 fellow traders to complain
about PT Pembangunan Jaya's use of intimidation to force us to
sign a new contract which is not fair to us," Zainal Abidin,
leader of the traders told Commission B which oversees economic
affairs.
He said that the traders had refused to sign the new 1994-1999
lease because there are numerous clauses in it which are quite
unfair. "The contract contains provisions that put us at a
disadvantage. Officials of the company then intimidated us into
signing the contract," Zainal said.
"At first we were not allowed to read the lease before signing
it. When we refused to sign they allowed us to see it but would
not allow us to change the contents," he added.
Zainal said that the contract was different from the old one,
including the leasing period which has been changed from 10 years
to five years.
He alleged that the company often took high-handed actions
which halts business.
"Recently, one shop was sealed up because the owner was only
one day behind schedule in paying the rent and there was no
warning issued beforehand," he added.
The delegation also questioned the status of traders who have
been operating there since 1966, when the building was first
built. At that time the city required them to pay various fees
which presumably entitled them to certain rights.
From the documents presented by the delegation, a trader named
Umar Sjatha paid Rp 167.53 million in 1966, equivalent to about
US$76,781 today, to meet the requirements to buy a shop in the
complex.
History
Senen Market was built in 1966 by the municipality from funds
collected from the sale of land in Slipi, Sentiong, Senen,
Cempaka Putih and Gatot Subroto.
At that time the Badan Pemerintah Harian appointed PT
Pembangunan Jaya as the developer. Forty percent of its shares
are owned by the City administration while the rest belong to
prominent businessmen, including Ciputra the real estate tycoon.
It was burned down in 1974 after the Malari riots and then was
rebuilt. The traders were given 10 year leases which expired in
1984, with an option to renew for another 10 years.
The delegation has questioned the ownership of the building
complex, whether the municipality or PT Pembangunan Jaya hold the
title. The company has claimed that it owns the building and
therefore can make any changes it wants at the expense of the
traders.
"I think they want to sell the plots to other traders who are
willing to pay higher rents because of its strategic position,"
said Irwan, another trader.
The commission, headed by Amarullah Asbah, deplored the action
taken by the company and promised the traders that it will hold
talks about the matter with the PT Pembangunan Jaya management.
"We agree that the contract provision should be changed back
to 10 years from five," Amarullah said.(yns)