Pak Bowo - PKL Bakpao

"The rule is that if you want to trade, you must be at least 200 meters away from the MRT gate, which is pretty far..."

What time do you usually come by, Pak?

Half 4 from the house, after Asr. If there are officers here during the day, often I can't really set up. Usually I come home at 10 or 11 pm. Before corona the officers were very strict, but now they are more relaxed. I don't know if it will be tightened again or not, but I hope the trade will be safe.

Since when have you been trading here, and why did you choose here?

I've been here for ten years, since 2011. I've always been selling here, customers know I'm here. Many customers are from Depok, Pasar Rebo. If they want to order, they'll WhatsApp me first to make sure, "Mas, is it open yet?".

Why don't you sell at the crowded gate (C)?

There's no way. The rules are that if you want to trade, you must be at least 200 meters away from the MRT gate, which is far away. It's a totally different trading area over there, plus I've been here a long time. The problem is that my loyal customers will be confused if I'm not here. So I sell every day and don't move around much, from opening to running out.

How about sales during the pandemic?

During Corona everything collapsed. During the first PPKM I sold almost nothing, barely enough to eat and buy basic necessities. Since then, things are improving, so I hope it will continue getting better.

Since the MRT has added to the sales?

Thankfully, yes. It wasn't bad when the MRT was first built, and just before the pandemic, it increased even more. The profit was 50% to 70-80%. Now it's also getting better, back to 80% again.

What are your problems or opinions on the MRT area?

The problem here is only the Satpol PP. Dishub comes to move the cars on in the morning, again at 3 o'clock, sometimes they can be towed. Carts are not the job of Dishub, though, and thank God, during this corona time, the PP saptol didn't show up. Before corona, they just drove me out, but I just moved inside (the Indomaret parking lot), the important thing is that the cart doesn't stand on the asphalt. Sometimes I just have to pay a little something if they pass by. But if all is peaceful, trade remains smooth.