STEP FORWARD TOWARD DEVELOPMENT OF 5,000 TRADITIONAL MARKET PROGRAM by Fardah

  Jakarta, April 30, 2016 (Antara) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in early April toured several eastern Indonesian regions to inaugurate seaports as part of his sea toll program.

        Near the end of the month, he came back to the region for his traditional market development program.

        The head of state inaugurated the Amahami Market in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, April 29, and attended the groundbreaking ceremony of Mama-mama Market in Jayapura, and visited Pharaa and Doyo Baru Markets in Sentani, Papua the next day.

         The development of 5,000 traditional markets and modernizing of the old ones are among the Jokowi administration's Nawacita (Nine Priorities) program during his five-year term.

         In Bima, he called for increasing connectivity among traditional markets in West Nusa Tenggara, including to the newly inaugurated Amahami Market and those in other provinces.

        "If possible, it should be connected with (those in) other districts and cities," Jokowi stated in his opening remarks.

        Connectivity would offer greater benefits to vendors and farmers, he noted.

         "For instance, yesterday, when the onion prices in Jakarta were very high, here, the commodity was being sold at a moderate price. If possible, the stocks should be rushed to Jakarta, so as to increase the profits of traders and farmers here," he affirmed.

        The head of state also called for transparent and professional management of traditional markets in order to boost their competitiveness to make them at par with modern markets, such as malls and shopping centers.  
    The President urged vendors in the newly built traditional market to maintain cleanliness and tidiness.

         He hoped that his administration would put an end to the image that traditional markets are dirty and or muddy places.

         President Jokowi later checked the condition of the market and called on the trade minister to expand the building in order to accommodate 500 additional vendors who were compelled to sell their commodities outside the market.

         "Just now, I have ordered the trade minister to expand the market to accommodate everyone," the President noted, and added that next year, he would revisit Bima to review the condition.

         The head of state was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Trade Minister Thomas Lembong, and Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi.

         The renovation of Amahami Market has increased its monthly turnover from Rp200 million-Rp300 million to Rp600 million, according to Minister Thomas Lembong.

       The national program to renovate some five thousand traditional markets requires the support of the local governments and communities, he emphasized.

        From Bima, President Jokowi and his entourage then headed to Jayapura, Papua.

          The central government has planned to build 15 traditional markets in Papua and West Papua Provinces, with the main objective of improving the welfare of the local community.

        "Markets are also expected to help stabilize commodity prices in the land of Cenderawasih (Bird of Paradise)," Minister Lembong said.

          The 15 new markets will be Iriati Central Market in Wondama (West Papua), Kenyam in Nduga (Papua), Mulia in Puncak Jaya (Papua), and Tambaruni in Fak (West Papua), in addition to Elelim in Yalimo (Papua), Waisei in Raja Empat (West Papua), Rufei in Sorong (West Papua), and Kumurkek in Maybrat (West Papua). The other markets are Doyo Baru in Sentani-Jayapura (Papua), Entrop in Jayapura, Wosi in Manokwari (West Papua), Waropen in Papua, and Jibama in Jayawijaya (Papua), in addition to Eiknemba in Intan Jaya (Papua), and Kaimana in West Papua.

          Ari Dwipayana, member of the presidential communication team, recalled President Jokowi's statement that traditional markets must be as competitive as modern markets.

          Jokowi had made the statement while launching the Revitalization Program for One Thousand Community Markets at the Manis Market, Purwokerto, Banyumas District, Central Java, in June 2015, according to Dwipayana.

          The head of state expressed concern that traditional markets might disappear in future if their condition was not improved.

            Within the next five years, 5 thousand traditional markets should be built, the President said.

           Modern markets have developed in every corner of the country, while most traditional markets continue to be old, the President stated, and added that some were even 20 to 30 years old.

          The revitalization program should not focus on only the physical aspects of the buildings where the traditional markets are located. It should also improve their management to allow small traders access to larger capital, Jokowi pointed out.

         During the previous administration under Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the central government had also paid special attention to traditional markets, particularly located in border and remote areas.

        The government had revitalized hundreds of traditional markets in the country to allow them to function more optimally.  ***3***
(f001/INE)
EDITED BY INE

(T.F001/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 30-04-2016 16:47:35