Hundreds of Residents Disappointed Not Getting Cheap Groceries

To ease the burden of residents ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, Kebon Jeruk Sub-District, West Jakarta, holds Kebon Jeruk Festival, Saturday (6/21), which enlivened by affordable food packages selling. Sadly, hundreds of residents who already lined up since morning had to go home with disappointment.

Since it is cheap, I’m willing to queue from morning. But when my turn comes, the packages were already sold out

In this festival, three retail companies prepared basic food packages filled with instant noodles, cooking oil, soy sauce, and rice. But before the residents get it through the coupons that were spread, those packages already run out.

Nurbaiti (50), a resident of RW 05, Sukabumi Selatan Urban Village, Kebon Jeruk Sub-District, said the coupons were distributed by urban village party through RT official. To get one food package, she must pay Rp 20 thousand for a coupon and line-up since 9 AM.

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“If you bought those three items in the market, the price could reach Rp 60 thousand. But with this coupon, it is only Rp 20 thousand. Since it is cheap, I’m willing to queue from morning. But when my turn comes, the packages were already sold out ,” she lamented.

As a result, Nurbaiti and hundreds of other residents who still have coupons protested to the security guards of the retail companies and sub-district employees. However, because the packages have been completely run out, the residents, who are generally housewives, had to go home empty-handed.

Head of Kebun Jeruk Sub-District, Mursidin, told that this festival is held for two days until tomorrow, Sunday (6/22). For that, 4,000 coupons were distributed to Kebun Jeruk Sub-District residents. He also admitted that today’s groceries selling has made the residents upset.

“The distributed coupons today should be 2,000 coupons, presumably the packages available were also 2,000. But, it turns out that from three retail companies, one did not show up. So, the distributed packages are only 1,500 packages,” he explained.

In order not to disappoint the residents who already have coupons, Mursidin stated that his party has coordinated with West Jakarta KUMKMP Sub-Department and the retail company which did not show up to open a booth.