Traders complain about levies

Traders complain about levies

JAKARTA (JP): Traders at Jakarta's Ragunan Zoo have complained about the high rent and levies charged by the management during Idul Fitri.

They claim the management asked them each to pay between Rp 500,000 and Rp 1 million as a prerequisite for opening businesses in the zoo's vicinity for the ten days beginning Feb. 20, Media Indonesia reported yesterday.

A cap seller said he was charged Rp 600,000. "We are also asked to pay a daily sanitation fee of Rp 1,000," a fruit seller added.

Allen Marbun, a zoo official in charge of general affairs, said he was surprised at the traders' complaint. He said the official maximum fee traders are charged during the Idul Fitri festivities was between Rp 50,000 and Rp 125,000, plus daily levies of between Rp 1,000 and Rp 4,000.

Marbun did not say if the management would probe the illegal levies complained about by the traders. (sur)