Ahok's Idea To Make The DKI Jakarta Government A Good Luck For Street Vendors In Today's Memory, July 4, 2014

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) who served as Governor of DKI Jakarta from 2014 to 2017. (Facebook Fanpage Basuki Tjahaja Purnama)

JAKARTA Memories of today, nine years ago, July 4, 2014, Acting Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) plans to make the DKI Jakarta government a new Godfather for Street Vendors (PKL). He revealed the plan at the Jakarta City Hall. He considered the profit potential from street vendors not small.

Previously, the problem of controlling street vendors often colored the journey of the city of Jakarta. Whoever the leader is, the PKL affairs are considered not very attractive in the political map. This condition is getting worse by the lives of street vendors who benefit thugs.

The affairs of the DKI Jakarta government with street vendors are problems that never end. Saban changed leaders, PKL affairs often do not find a bright spot. This does not mean that the power of attorney is silent. All kinds of efforts have been made so that street vendors are orderly.

In fact, it perpetuated forced control. Even though the option was later deemed not very effective. Street vendors can return quickly and sell as usual. The result is that the problem of street vendors is not over quickly and the government does not always perpetuate control of street vendors.

The PKL problem then became a serious problem in the leadership of Joko Widodo (Jokowi)-Ahok. This problem had made Jokowi (later become President of the Republic of Indonesia) perpetuate many blusukan to understand the conditions on the ground. However, Jokowi's desire to run as President of Indonesia has made everything possible.

The baton of PKL control began to be carried out by his deputy, Ahok, who was later appointed as Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta. Ahok saw that the problem of street vendors continued to exist because they felt that someone was protecting them.

All street vendors feel they have paid order money to thugs. The security money makes them feel safe selling in inappropriate locations. At the National Monument (Monas), for example.

The control in this area often gets resistance from street vendors. They resisted because they felt they had paid order money, both to thugs and Satpol PP personnel. Control is increasingly difficult because law enforcement against street vendors is still weak and not firm.

"Every time the Satpol PP is brought under control, they leave, but immediately come back to trade, and the number is increasing. It doesn't lose sense, Ahok looks for ways to make the Monas area sterile PKL. We just look for legal loopholes. I'm looking for ways to clean this up. You are a cowboy way, I want a cowboy way too. Ahok emphasized that if street vendors are tough against officers, his party will control it in a tough way," explained Agus Santosa in his book Hargaku, my life: Basuki Tjahaja Purnama Dare to Die for the sake of the Constitution and Against Corruption (2015).

Ahok's emotions may explode. However, he had to make decisions with a clear head regarding street vendors. Instead of just wanting to bring order to street vendors, Ahok actually wanted to make all fees to street vendors no longer flow to thugs or other elements.

He wants the DKI Jakarta Government to hold full power over the arrangement and contributions of street vendors. There is no more story about street vendors' contributions to be paid to thugs. Everything will be taken care of by the DKI Jakarta Government so that the government becomes a new thug (new Godfather).

He revealed this at City Hall on July 4, 2014. He asked his staff to start analyzing several points and the amount of contributions that must be paid by street vendors in Jakarta every day. Efforts to control street vendors then bring results. Jakarta is more organized because street vendors are asked to sell in the provided places.

"Everyone must have a bank account in Jakarta. The poor must have it. So all the payments are through bank accounts. So far they have paid to thugs, right? Later let us become the new thugs, Godfatherbaru."

"Bank DKI is ready, really. If Bank DKI is not ready, just give BRI. BRI belongs to the state too. It has the people of Indonesia, right BRI. The principle is the same," added Ahok as quoted by Kompas.com, July 4, 2014.