'Why no special place for vendors?'

The city cooperatives and small and medium enterprises agency recently admitted its failure in accommodating around 147,000 registered street vendors due to financial constraints to procure land for them. The agency also has to tolerate the presence of unregistered street vendors. The Jakarta Post talked to come residents on the issue.

Rima, 32, works for a private company in Central Jakarta. She lives in Tangerang with her husband and two children:

Honestly, the presence of street vendors, particularly those selling food, really is convenient for most working people like me, because we can have a quick affordable meal. I'd go broke if I had to spend lots of money to buy lunch in malls or restaurants.

I also like to see vendors selling items for children like toys, socks or other clothes. Although the quality of the items are not as good as those sold at department stores, they are OK for daily use as kids grow up really fast.

But sometimes I find the vendors annoying because they occupy the road and we cannot even walk on the city's sidewalks. Why can't the city administration provide special places for the vendors like those in Blok S (South Jakarta)?

Kusno, 34, works in an insurance company in West Jakarta. He lives with his wife and two sons in Bojong Gede, Bogor:

As an employee with a meager salary like me, and my wife is not working, the presence of street vendors really helps me to buy things at a relatively cheap price.

I think it's unfair to see them evicted by public order officers. It's really saddening if their carts and merchandise are seized by the officers. They only try to make some money, right?

I really hope that the vendors can have special places in parts of the city so that they can continue their business and people like me can find cheap goods easily.

-- The Jakarta Post