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Anies reported to police over Tanah Abang road closure
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The front of Tanah Abang Station in Central Jakarta became crowded with vendors on Dec. 22, 2017, after the Jakarta administration closed a lane on Jl. Jati Baru Raya to accommodate street vendors. (JP/Rifky Dewandaru)
C
ommunity organization Cyber Indonesia has reported Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to the police over the controversial closure of Jl. Jatibaru Raya in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, to accommodate street vendors, saying that the regulation contravened the prevailing Law No. 38/2004 on roads.
Article 12 of the law stipulates that no one is allowed to perform activities that interfere with road functions. Those violating the law can face an 18-month prison term and be required to pay a fine of up to Rp 1.5 billion (US$105,000).
The report was submitted to the Jakarta Police on Thursday night.
In a statement received by The Jakarta Post, the organization said that the governor’s controversial move not only contradicted the law, but also caused problems.
“The move to accommodate street vendors on the road has not decreased the number of street vendors occupying sidewalks in Tanah Abang. The vendors claim they did not receive stalls to sell their goods on the road,” said Cyber Indonesia chairman Muannas Alaidid in the statement.
Media reports have also highlighted that street vendors rented out tents that were provided for them by the administration.
Muannas added that the new regulation had also triggered protests from affected public minivan drivers who claimed that their income had decreased significantly because of the closure. The drivers had previously received a large number of passengers along Jl. Jatibaru Raya as the Tanah Abang Station gate is located on the road.
