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mid the city administration'€™s plan to involve 10 traditional markets for the first time in the 2015 Jakarta Great Sale Festival, most vendors have shown a lack of enthusiasm about participating in the annual event.

City market operator PD Pasar Jaya business and empowerment manager Sumanto said Wednesday that during this year'€™s festival, 10 traditional markets across the city would offer discounts of up to 20 percent on basic commodities and all markets'€™ vendors would participate in kiosk decoration and management competitions.

'€œPD Pasar Jaya will give discounts on basic commodities between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., while the vendors with the best kiosk decoration and management system will get a good prize,'€ Sumanto told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

However, a number of vendors said they had yet to get clear information on it or how they could participate.

Yulia, a staple food seller at Pondok Indah Market in South Jakarta, said it was business as usual for her.

'€œNo, I don'€™t know anything about the event. My income is decreasing slowly and Ramadhan is coming, I have no interest in taking part in any event or competition,'€ she said, adding that she did not have the money to buy decorations.

Meanwhile, none of the vendors in Pondok Indah Market had decorated their kiosk to take part in the competition.

Febri, 29, who runs a water pump kiosk at Manggis Market in South Jakarta, said vendors in the market had only received a flyer containing an instruction from the market operator to keep kiosks clean during the competition, without providing further information.

'€œSince the market revitalization seven months ago, we have seen fewer and fewer customers. Why doesn'€™t the market operator focus on how to attract more customers in the long run instead of participating in such a festival?'€ Febri said.

Besides Manggis and Pondok Indah markets, the other eight traditional markets participating in the festival are Gondangdia Market in Menteng, Pos Pengumben Market in Kebon Jeruk, Cibubur Market in Cibubur, Sunter Podomoro Market in Sunter, Gembrong Market in Cempaka Putih, Jembatan Dua Market in Tubagus Angke, Koja Market in Koja and Enjo Market in Pulo Gadung.

Separately, Manggis Market deputy head Ketut Narken said he had disseminated information on the market'€™s participation in the festival, but acknowledged that not many people had shown an interest.

'€œI acknowledge that the vendors are not in the mood because we have fewer customers since the revitalization. However, I hope they will at least keep their kiosks clean during the event,'€ he said.

Organized by the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Shopping Center Association (APPBI) and the city administration, the Jakarta Great Sale is held annually to celebrate the capital'€™s anniversary, involving dozens of malls offering various discounts from June 6 to July 12.

Last year, more than 70 shopping centers in Jakarta took part in the event, with total transactions reaching Rp 13 trillion (US$982 million).