Yogyakarta 'gold street' deserted

Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

The arrival of Idul Fitri usually means brisk business on Yogyakarta's "gold street", as Jl. Ketandan is popularly known. There, people would crowd around the 30 jewelry stores in the area to polish their gold jewelry, making it shine as if it was brand new.

This year around, with Idul Fitri only about six days away, the stores are deserted, with only one or two customers around.

Sutiyanto, an employee at Bintang Tiga gold jewelry store, admitted on Wednesday that the store only sold an average of five to 10 pieces of gold jewelry weighing about three to five grams each.

"Last year, we sold an average of 40 to 50 pieces a day, even ahead of the fasting month of Ramadhan," Sutiyanto said without mentioning the store's profits.

He blamed the drop this year on people's low purchasing power following the government's move to raise fuel prices on Oct. 1 which immediately pushed up prices of basic necessities.

Sutiyanto said that slow business was experienced by all jewelry stores in the street although he claimed that the price of gold had decreased. A week before Ramadhan, he said, 22 carat gold was priced at Rp 140,000 per gram but now it was Rp 125,000 per gram.

Sutiyah, 62, has been cleaning and polishing gold jewelry since 1935 and until last year, she would polish at least 25 pieces of jewelry a day.

"Previously, I had to work late with my two children to finish the work, but this year, business is really slow. I only get one or two customers a day. Maybe this year it's really difficult for everyone, even to buy rice," said Sutiyah in her home.

The woman said the gold jewelry was usually polished to make it shine for the Idul Fitri celebration.

"Every Idul Fitri, gold jewelry is worn to showcase one's success. That's why many people will bring it to me to make their old jewelry look new," said the mother of four who charged Rp 3,000 for each piece.

While Sutiyah struggles to survive, dozens of other people with a similar profession have opted to close down.

"It's been a week and I haven't had any customers so I decided to close," said Mardiana, 54, who has been in the business for eight years.