PKL Kramat Jati Main Market Paving Ormas, DKI DPRD: Don't Leave It!

DKI Jakarta DPRD Building (doc DKI Provincial Government)

JAKARTA Member of Commission A of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Kevin Wu, highlighted the case of extortion of street vendors (PKL) at Kramat Jati Main Market, East Jakarta. Traders claim to be banned by thugs on behalf of community organizations (ormas) and must deposit money every day or month.

"When community groups have the courage to speak up, don't let them fight alone against arbitrary, injustice and violation of the law," Kevin told reporters, Thursday, May 15.

According to Kevin, the courage of street vendors to report this extortion must be followed up seriously. He urged law enforcement officers, both from the TNI-Polri and Satpol PP, to act immediately.

"There must be firm action. Law enforcement must not be blunt just because the perpetrator is under the guise of a mass organization. This is a market owned by the DKI Provincial Government, so that it is not controlled by people who extort small traders," he said.

Commission A of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Kevin continued, will summon related parties, including the ranks of the DKI Provincial Government in charge of market management and security forces, to be questioned in a working meeting.

We will also conduct sudden inspections (sidak) in the field. Not only at one point, but randomly in various market locations. We want to know if this has become a systemic practice that has been left alone so far," Kevin said.

Previously, a number of street vendors at the Kramat Jati Main Market revealed the practice of illegal levies they experienced. A trader admitted that he had to pay deposits of up to IDR 1 million per month in order to keep trading. In addition, they are also required to deposit daily IDR 20 thousand.

The act of thuggery under the guise of mass organizations is said to have been going on for a long time and caused unrest among traders.