Subordinates Of Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi Denies Banning Traders From Selling At Hi Tech Mall

Hi Tech Mall Surabaya. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The Surabaya City Government has denied prohibiting electronic merchants from conducting sales transactions inside the Hi Tech Mall building on Jalan Kusuma Bangsa, Tambaksari, Surabaya City, East Java.

"Before the PPKM (Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities), we allowed traders to carry out sales transactions in the health protocol building (prokes) strictly," said Head of Building Utilization, Surabaya City Land and Building Management Agency (DPBT), Taufik Siswanto in Surabaya, quoted by Antara. from Antara, Saturday 21 August.

A number of traders at Hi Tech Mall were previously known to be desperate to open stalls outside the mall building because visitors were not allowed to enter since last Friday, August 20. This pick-up action is done in order to get buyers. Traders and employees serve visitors who want to ask about computer and laptop accessories.

Taufik said that currently there are around 318 traders who are still selling at Hi Tech Mall. During the pandemic, these traders carry out sales transactions inside the building with strict procedures.

"In general, from the beginning of the pandemic we have allowed them to open. However, because of the PPKM, sales transaction activities inside the building are not allowed. So they then sell online," he said.

Over time, Taufik said, the central government then provided business relaxation in the PPKM regulation. Traders, especially those in malls or shopping centers, are allowed to make sales transactions inside the building with strict procedures according to PPKM Level 4 rules.

"So then there must be an independent COVID-19 Task Force and health protocol SOPs if the mall wants to open," he said.

Therefore, Taufik stated that the city government through the Surabaya COVID-19 Task Force then conducted an assessment and formulated the SOP for the activities at Hi Tech Mall. The SOP is a guideline for every trader, visitor and employee who wants to carry out activities in the building.

"The point is that there is no prohibition against trading inside the Hi-Tech Mall building. However, the important thing is that it does not cause crowds, so it is then tightened," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary of the Surabaya COVID-19 Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling, Irvan Widyanto, explained that currently the SOP for health protocols for activities at Hi Tech Mall has been completed. The SOP is based on the results of the BPB and Linmas assessment and the Surabaya Trade Office (Disdag).

According to him, the SOP regulates several guidelines for activities in the Ex Hi-Tech Mall building, for visitors, owners/managers/traders associations, and employees. One of them, requires every employee/visitor who will enter the mall area to show a certificate or vaccine certificate.

"If visitors/employees cannot show a vaccine certificate/certificate, then they are not allowed to enter the mall area," he said.

In addition, Irvan said that the SOP had also regulated the maximum number of people in the building at 25 percent.

"The owner/manager/traders association of ex Hi-Tech Mall must also provide an information sign regarding the maximum number of visitors at the entrance," he said.