MSME Actors Reject Raperda KTR, Value Is Considered Irrational And Makes Traders "catfish" With Officials

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JAKARTA - A number of MSME actors consisting of street vendors, grocery stalls, mobile coffee, and warteg expressed their firm rejection of the Draft Regional Regulation on Non-Smoking Areas (Raperda KTR) which is currently being finalized by the Bapemperda of the DKI Jakarta DPRD.

The business actors who are members of the MSME Coalition emphasized that these rules are not realistic to apply to small businesses and actually increase the burden on traders who are currently hit by the economic situation.

They also assessed that the DKI Jakarta DPRD did not understand the conditions of the field. They assessed that the discussion was carried out without considering the direct impact on MSMEs that depend on the sale of cigarette products.

"Small traders are currently struggling. Now, we are increasingly responding to the unacceptable, irrational KTR Ranperda. Don't just knock on the hammer," said Jakarta MSME Coalition spokesman Izzudin Zindan, Monday, November 17.

Izzudin highlighted an article banning cigarette sales and expanding the KTR area to restaurants and markets. He said the policy would hit the income of traders who rely on small margins to survive.

"Every day traders face unstable food prices. With the Ranperda KTR which requires sterile cigarettes in stalls, it clearly has an impact on income," he said.

"How is it that we are required to separate the smoking room, while the maximum warteg area is only 4x6 meters? Impossible! This means we were told to cat and mouse by the authorities," he said.

He emphasized that the application of special smoking rooms is impossible for small business actors who often have difficulty paying rent.

Similarly, the Representative of the Tegal Warung Cooperative (Kowarteg), Tanuri, conveyed the conditions that were no less severe. He assessed that the discussion of the Raperda KTR did not show empathy for the economic reality of MSMEs in Jakarta.

"Please look at the conditions on the ground, don't end up making rules, but the small people's businesses are dead. I sell warteg 24 hours, now at 10 it's very quiet," said Tanuri.

He said traders are now struggling to maintain their business in the midst of high shop rentals and reduced people's purchasing power.

"Are the people aware? Our economy is still difficult, there are many employee reductions. The DPRD goes to the field first, survey first, first check the condition of MSMEs," he continued.

The UMKM coalition then compiled a joint petition containing the rejection of the Raperda KTR. They demanded that the DPRD not rush to ratify the rules and review articles deemed burdensome.

"The DKI Jakarta DPRD must listen to the aspirations and voices of the rejection of the small people who are directly affected by it without being reckless and in a hurry to ratify the Ranperda KTR. Including reviewing articles on the prohibition of the sale and expansion of the area without smoking by directly going down and checking in the field," the petition reads.

The petition was signed by a number of traders' communities, including the Warteg Merah Putih Community (WMP), Warung Tegal Cooperative (Kowarteg), the Jakarta Warteg and Street Lima Traders Association (Pandawakarta), the Warung Nusantara Community (Kowantara), the Mandiri Niaga Warung Cooperative (Kowartami), and the Remojong MSMEs.