GOVT STILL NEEDS TO BUILD OVER 2,000 TRADITIONAL MARKETS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 28 (Antara) -  The Indonesian government has planed to develop or renovate five thousand traditional markets across the country between 2015 and 2019.          The program to develop or renovate five thousand traditional markets was announced by President Joko Widodo when he laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Pasar Manis Market in Purwokerto, Central Java, in 2014.          This means that every year from 2015 until the end of the current term of office of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), the government has to renovate or build a thousand traditional markets.          However, so far, the government has built or renovated 2,910 units of traditional markets. Thus, in the remaining two years of Jokowi's current term of office, the government still has to develop some 2,090 units to meet its target by 2019.          Logistics and Retribution Facility director of the Trade Ministry Sihar Pohan said on Friday that until 2019, his ministry had a target to build 5,000 markets in Indonesia.          "Until 2017, the Trade Ministry has built 2,910 traditional markets throughout Indonesia and is targeted to reach 5,000 markets by 2019," said Sihar Pohan in Pontianak, West Kalimatan.

GOVERNMENT ON TRACK TO REVITALIZE OLD MARKETS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 5 (Antara) - The government has kept its promise of renovating 5,000 traditional markets in the country in the next five years.          After revitalizing 1,002 traditional markets in first year of the program in 2015, the government this year has set itself the target of developing 1,000 traditional markets with a total fund of Rp1.7 trillion.          "We keep our Nawacita promise well. The inauguration of the Pasar Manis Market in Purwokerto is a special event. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) laid its construction corner stone last year while announcing his Nawacita program to renovate 5,000 markets," Trade Minister Thomas Lembong said in Purwokerto, Central Java, on Wednesday.          He was accompanying President Jokowi, who inaugurated the first phase of revitalization at the Pasar Manis project in Purworkerto.          Nawacita, which is used by President Widodo as a term for his administration¿s development initiatives, is a Sanskrit term used for nine national priority development programs.

INDONESIA REVITALIZING TRADITIONAL MARKETS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 1 (Antara) - For most Indonesians, traditional markets are crucial to their day-to-day lives and economic activities, yet with the rapid growth of modern markets that have made shopping convenient, traditional markets are being pushed to the margins.          But since the country's middle and lower class consumers still need these traditional markets, they have actually drawn the attention of the government in the past one decade.          It was only in recent years that the government paid serious attention to revitalizing these markets, transforming them into a clean and convenient place for shopping.          The current government under the administration of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has planned to revitalize some 5,000 traditional markets across the country until 2019.          "The program to revitalize 5,000 traditional markets has been running well and will continue to till 2019. In 2015, the government revitalized 1,010 traditional markets. Actually, the number of traditional markets that were up for revitalization in 2015 had reached 1,017 but seven of them cancelled their proposals, Trade Minister Thomas Lembong said last week (Jan 26).

GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE MARKET REVITALIZATION PROGRAM IN 2015

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 26 (Antara) - The government, which has been revitalizing traditional markets over the past decade, will continue the program next year to boost their competitiveness in the face of expansion of modern retailer markets in Indonesia.          Last April, the government claimed to have renovated a total of 2,758 traditional markets in the period between 2005 and 2013 at a total cost of Rp4.01 trillion.          Between 2011 and 2013, the Ministry of Trade revitalized 461 traditional markets, 53 of these being pilot projects.          "The funds for the renovation of the traditional markets were taken from the Trade Ministry's Task Assistance Funds and amounted to Rp1.9 trillion," former trade minister Gita Wirjawan remarked while inaugurating the Leuwipanjang Market in Purwakarta District last January.          In 2014, funds worth Rp556 billion were allocated from the state budget to revitalize traditional markets across the country.          In 2015, the government, through the Trade Ministry, will revitalize 469 traditional markets across Indonesia with a funding of about Rp997.5 billion, noted a senior official on Tuesday (Dec. 23, 2014).          "For 2015, we have a total budget (of Rp997.5 billion) to revitalize 469 traditional markets," Director General of Internal Trade of the Trade Ministry Srie Agustina remarked during a 2014 year-end reflection discussion held on Tuesday.

GOVERNMENT TO BEGIN REVITALIZATION OF 60 TRADITIONAL MARKETS

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, May 19 (Antara) - Indonesia, which has about 13 thousand traditional markets across the country, will begin revitalizing 60 traditional markets next month in an effort to prevent them from being sidelined by modern markets.          "We set a target to begin revitalizing 60 traditional markets in June and to finish the revitalization in 2014," Nyak Ubin, a deputy for infrastructure and facility marketing of the Cooperatives and Small Scale Enterprises (UKM) Ministry, said here on Monday.          The government had operated the traditional market revitalization program since 2005 and until last year, and the Cooperatives and Small-and Medium-Sized Business Ministry (UKM) had rebuilt 461 traditional markets, 53 of these were pilot projects.          The Cooperatives and the UKM Ministry revitalized a total of 207 traditional markets in 2013.          In 2014, another phase of the revitalization program will begin, with 60 traditional markets as part of the government's efforts to increase the competitiveness of traditional markets amid the mushrooming of modern markets, including mini markets such the Alfa Mart, Indo Maret and others.          Nyak Ubin said the budget for financing the renovation of the 60 cooperatives-based traditional markets will be disbursed after the government's Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) reviewed the plan.          "The work can be carried out after the funding plans are reviewed. It can be done directly," he said, adding that his office had selected traditional markets that will be renovated.

TRADITIONAL MARKETS NEED BOOST AGAINST MODERN COMPETITION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 30 (Antara) - The expansion of modern retailers in the country should not sacrifice, sideline, or even displace traditional markets, which constitute the economic centers of the middle and lower classes.          However, traditional markets, which used to number up to 13,000 across the country, should be renovated and revitalized, so that they can compete, and develop side-by-side, with modern markets.          In its efforts to improve the competitiveness of traditional markets, the government has conducted a traditional market revitalization program over the last few years. Between 2011 and 2013, the Ministry of Trade has revitalized 461 traditional markets, 53 of these being pilot projects.          "The funds for the renovation of the traditional markets were taken from the Trade Ministry's Task Assistance Funds, and amounted to Rp1.9 trillion," Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said, as he prepared to inaugurate Leuwipanjang Market in Purwakarta District on Wednesday.           Thirteen of the traditional markets renovated were located in West Java and received funds of Rp75 billion. The Ministry of Trade is committed to continue improving traditional markets in various parts of the country, Gita added.          The program is intended to improve the image of traditional markets, which are often seen as dirty and disorganized. As they are revitalized, traditional markets in the country are expected to become cleaner, neater, and more in keeping with the atmosphere of modern markets.          "Overall, the turn-out at traditional markets increased by an average of 57 per cent after they were renovated," the minister added.

RI TO REVITALISE TRADITIONAL MARKETS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 8 (ANTARA) - Amidst the expansion of modern markets in Indonesia, the government is planning to revitalise traditional markets across the country to increase their competitiveness.          According to Neddy Rafinaldi Halim, deputy for marketing of cooperatives and small enterprises network at the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Scale Businesses, the government will revitalise at least 175 traditional markets throughout the country.          "This year, the government will revitalise 175 traditional markets, consisting of 155 regular traditional markets, 15 regional mainstay product marketing facilities and 5 central traditional markets," said Neddy Rafinaldi Halim on Monday.          In the border areas, the government will revitalise at least 25 traditional markets, with funding from the ministry of cooperatives and medium and small scale enterprises.         "We are going to revitalise regional marketing facilities in 25 areas," said Neddy Rafinaldi Halim.