Senen traders protest market management
Senen traders protest market management
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Some 100 traders from the Senen market in Central Jakarta
protested on Monday against PT Pembangunan Jaya, the market
operator, which unilaterally revised the contract terms which
they reached with the previous management of the market in 1966.
The traders' representatives met several members of the city
council on Monday and expressed their opposition to the revision
on grounds that the new terms were unfavorable and that they had
no say in the revision.
Jaelani, a senior adviser of the Association of the Senen
Market Businessmen (P3S), said that the traders -- many of whom
had established their shops there before 1966 -- disapproved of
the revision calling it "unfair".
"We reject the revision of the agreement we made in 1966. We
should unite so that the market operator will not treat us
unfairly," Jaelani told the traders during the meeting with the
councillors.
Amril, one of the shop owners, said that based on the
agreement made in 1966, the traders were allowed to rent the
market space for periods of 10 years and automatically extend the
term thereafter if they agreed on any new rates.
The agreement in 1966 was made between the traders and the
city-owned PT Pembangunan Ibukota Jakarta Raya, which managed the
market.
But, he said that the private company PT Pembangunan Jaya, who
later took over the management of the market, revised the
agreement in 1999. The main point of contention included the
terms of rental for tenants from 10 years to only five years, and
that the tenants now needed to negotiate and get approval from PT
Pembangunan Jaya if they wanted to extend their rental period.
Jaelani, 70, stressed that traders in Senen, particularly in
Blok I and II, were different from traders in new malls in the
city as they had worked as traders there since the market was
still a traditional one.
The traders lodged their complaints after PT Pembangunan Jaya
barred up one of the shops because the owner, Indra Darmawan,
refused to sign the revised agreement. But later the city council
ordered it to be reopened.
Haim Mahaddin, a member of the City Council's Commission B for
economic affairs, advised the traders to unite so that they could
fight for their interests.
He said that the council ordered the private company to reopen
Indra's shop late last month as there was no strong reason from
the management to close it, and the traders had not agreed with
the revision of the accord.
"It is unfair as only one of the shops was barred up, while
the others in the same situation had not been. Therefore, we
order the management to it to be reopened," Haim added.
PT Pembangunan Jaya could not be reached for comment on
Monday.