Traders protest against MRT project

JAKARTA. More than 500 vendors from three traditional markets on Jl. Fatmawati in South Jakarta protested against the city’s mass rapid transit (MRT) project plan on Tuesday, saying that when implemented, they would lose their jobs.

The vendors, grouped in the Association of Indonesian Traditional Market Traders (APPSI) from the Mede, Cipete and Blok A markets, lamented that the area would be designated as a “park and ride” location with an elevated MRT track.

“We want the administration to build a subway line here, not an elevated one so as not to interrupt market activities,” Blok A Market Traders Corporation (IPPSA) secretary Dagirsyah Dahlan said as quoted by kompas.com.

The protesting vendors then went to the East Jakarta mayor’s office to continue their rally.

The demonstration caused traffic congestion in the area because vehicles traveling along Jl. Fatmawati could not be diverted, the police said.

The MRT line is expected to ease the massive daily traffic gridlock in the city.

However, the project, the cost of which will mostly be covered by a ¥120 billion (US$1.5 billion) soft loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), remains uncertain with Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo remaining unconvinced of the plan’s feasibility.

Jokowi recently failed to make a promised decision on the project, following a heated meeting with city-owned PT MRT Jakarta officials, transportation experts and residents who would be affected by the construction project. (The Jakarta Post)