The Ramadan Fair held by North Jakarta Administration to ease residents’ burden in fulfilling needs ahead of Eid ul Fitr is responded differently by the residents who are disappointed because the distribution of 8,700 coupons is assessed uneven. Although the event is held in North Jakarta Mayor Office, the locals around the location are not getting the coupons.

Though my house is near the mayor’s office, I don’t get the (Ramadan Fair) coupons. I know about this event from a neighbor who passed in front of my house bringing staples

Suci (44), resident of Jalan Swasembada Barat, RT 06/07, Kebon Bawang Urban Village, Tanjung Priok Sub-District, North Jakarta, admitted not getting the coupons distributed by local RT chief. To get the staples sold in the fair, she and several residents had to wait for remaining staples which not picked up by official coupon holders.

“Though my house is near the mayor’s office, I don’t get the (Ramadan Fair) coupons. I know about this event from a neighbor who passed in front of my house bringing staples. So, I had to wait in front of the staples’ stand while hoping for remaining staples I could buy,” she said, Monday (7/14).

Suci assessed that the coupons distribution done by RT officials was not effective and prone to misuse. She also strongly believed that the coupon receivers are closest relatives of RT officials.

“This is because when the same event held in urban village office, the people getting the coupons were the same as now,” she disclosed.

Responding this, Head of North Jakarta Economic Affairs Division, Dedi Sumardi, explained that the use of coupons in this Ramadan Fair was a system which had been agreed by the event committee and the participant companies.

“We wanted all residents to get cheap staples, but the supplies from those companies are limited. That’s why they asked for coupons usage,” he stated.

According to Sumardi, the Ramadan Fair will be held until upcoming Friday (7/18). By having coupons, residents can buy cheap staples like cooking oil for Rp 9,000 per liter (normal price is Rp 14,000 per liter) and staples packages worth Rp 40,000 each that consists of rice, vegetable oil, sugar, and flour.