Jakarta – Activists and a traditional market association have criticized Governor Fauzi Bowo for handing out goods from modern retailers as Idul Fitri gifts, likening the practice to gratuity.
"Although the gifts were given to the public, the administration officially conducted the event. And while the governor didn't pocket any money, he still took the credit for making the donations (from private companies). That can lead to a conflict of interest," deputy coordinator for Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) Emerson Yuntho told The Jakarta Post.
Fauzi handed out 6,000 gifts at City Hall on Monday, each consisting of Rp 40,000 (US$4) in cash and basic commodities.
Fauzi confirmed earlier that several private companies had donated the basic commodities, but the money had come from his own pocket. The event ended with a stampede, injuring dozens of people.
"It would be a disaster if the Governor didn't understand what gratuity was," Emerson said, adding that the governor's actions could be categorized as gratuity under the 2001 Corruption Law.
Hasan Basri, chairman of the Indonesian Traditional Market Vendors Association (APPSI), said he was disappointed with Fauzi's decision to used goods from modern retailers for his gifts.
"That really hurts us. I think it's clearer now why he seems to stand on their (modern retailers) side rather than ours," he told the Post.
Small traders have long criticized modern retailers for pushing them out of business, although prevailing regulations – the 2007 presidential decree on planning and construction of retail enterprises and the 2002 bylaw on private markets – specify that modern markets should not affect nearby traditional ones. The regulations state modern markets should be built at least 2 kilometers away from traditional markets.
Last year, hundreds of merchants from Muara Karang traditional market in North Jakarta staged several rallies against retailer Carrefour, claiming the Megamal Pluit outlet was built only 1.5 kilometers from the Muara Karang market.
In Cempaka Mas, Central Jakarta, another modern outlet has reportedly affected three nearby traditional markets, Cempaka Putih, Serdang and Sumur Batu.
Carrefour, one of the retailers giving the donation, confirmed it had taken part in the gift distribution.
"However, we are just one of the participants, nothing more. Please don't politicize it," Carrefour Indonesia's corporate affairs director Irawan A. Kadarman told the Post. "The administration invited us to participate. We also took part in similar events elsewhere."
City Secretary Muhayat played down the gratuity accusations. "We just channelled the donations (from several companies). In previous Idul Fitri festivities, we helped pass donations from big companies to residents," he said.
A group of NGOs filed a report with the city police on Thursday accusing Governor Fauzi Bowo of negligence, which led to the stampede. Edi Saidi, spokesman for the Urban Poor Consortium, Jakarta Legal Aid and the City Poor Network (JRMK), said the governor should be held responsible for the chaos.
Muhayat, however, claimed his administration had taken precautionary measures to prevent the stampede. "The stampede happened because they (the residents) were not patient," he said. (bbs)