SAMARINDA (Yosefardi) – Thousands of mob and street vendors, joining in the Traders Forum (FPS), in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, closed all minimarkets in the city, Kontan.co.id reported Friday (Feb 7).
FPS consists of middle-low street vendors, traditional traders, and solidarity of students. The mass has sealed all stores of modern minimarkets such as Indomaret, Alfa Midi, and Era Mart.
The mob, around 1,500 people, urged the city government of Samarinda to review the policy of awarding licenses to modern minimarkets owners.
The coordinator of the mob, Sulaeman Hattase, said the protest is the peak of accumulated disappointments over the city government that opted to welcome modern minimarkets to gain over the losses of street vendors.
Sulaeman claimed the city government of Samarinda has served owners of modern minimarkets with good treatment, while killing thousand street vendors.