Jakarta Acting Governor, Heru Budi Hartono, accompanied President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo to visit Blok A Tanah Abang Market, Central Jakarta, Monday (1/2).

Hope there will be optimism this year for traders

President Jokowi said that the visit was to see directly the conditions of sales and purchases at Tanah Abang Market after the lifting of the Public Activity Restrictions (PPKM).

He hoped that transactions at Tanah Abang Market would resume in 2023. Thus, the turnover of traders would also increase.

"If sales conditions in this market decline, other regions will also decline because this is one of the 16 downstream markets in Indonesia. Other production markets such as Terong Makassar Market, Turu Market in Surabaya, Johar Market in Semarang," he expressed.

He went on to say that it was hoped that the PPKM rules revocation would increase the optimism of traders in the market and MSMEs.

"Hope there will be optimism this year for traders, they will also say that 2022 has improved compared to 2021. They don't just trade here but in the marketplace as well. It is expected that this makes it easier for sellers and buyers to meet thus our economy will get better in 2023," he continued.

Perumda Pasar Jaya's Property and Marketing Director, Aristianto explained in mid-2022, the turnover of traders began to increase between 70-80 percent compared to 2020 and 2021.

"I hope the traders' turnover can increase up to 100 percent. This is our optimism from the President and the Acting Governor," he explained.

The same optimism also came from the Jakarta Industry Trade Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (PPKUKM) Agency  Head, Elisabeth Ratu Rante Allo. She hoped that MSMEs in Jakarta also improved after there was no more PPKM.

He uttered that President and Acting Governor wanted MSMEs to continuously be empowered, as they are very important in moving the wheels of the country's economy.

"We must continue to empower them to be more advanced and increase our economic income," he concluded.