A blaze devastated Johar Market, a traditional market in Semarang, Central Java, over the week end of May 9th, 2015, causing hundreds of billions of rupiah in losses. Witnesses said the fire originated near bookstores on the second floor of the market at around 9 p.m. local time on Saturday. The fire quickly spread to other kiosks before engulfing Yaik Market, located on the western side of Johar Market, they said.
Some 16 fire trucks and dozens of firefighters attempted to extinguish the flames, with dozens of police officers, soldiers and local residents joining the effort. The fire trucks, dispatched from fire departments in Semarang and surrounding areas such as Demak, Kendal, Kudus and Pati, were fighting the flames until noon on Sunday. Around 8,000 vendors lost their kiosks in the blaze. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
History
Johar Market Semarang is a meeting place between many sellers and buyers. Growing market presence in accordance with the development of Semarang city, and even contribute an important part in the creation of Semarang city life.
Roughly a century ago in 1860 there is a market that occupies the eastern part of the square plaza with a row of Johar trees on the side north of Semarang. The market location is to the west of Semarang market called Pedamaran, and also adjacent to the prison so that it becomes a place among those who visit their relatives that were imprisoned.
Johar market was becoming a crowded place and require an expansion of the land area. After a thorough assessment, Johar market expansion ultimately held by cutting the trees and erect a new building. In 1931 the old jail building located near Johar market demolished in related to the city government plans to set up a modern Central Market. Central market then was established with the aim to unite five existing markets, they were Johar, Pedamaran, Beteng, Jurnatan and Pekojan market.
Johar Market building is headed towards the East. Johar Market is a two-story building just to the side, while the center is a void. Transverse side of the building consists of six pieces trafe, and has four longitudinal sides trafe. With stone as foundation, reinforced with concrete structure, with the fungus columns system.
Column with six meter module with a hexagonal shape. This is called the fungus (mushroom) column construction. The flat roof is made of concrete. In certain parts of the roof, held elevation as the air holes.
The building is so efficient, so there is no yard or vacant open space for nothing. This is in accordance with the principles of Thomas Karsten.
Just north of Johar Market, Yaik Permai, were built later; at the east, there is JSC (Johar Shopping Center) that were completed in 1994, and to the south there is river of Semarang.
In 1933 the first draft of the proposal made by Thomas Karsten, the basic form resembles Jatingaleh market with a larger size. There is a concrete structure with a flat roof with the highest point is in the center. Nested skin parts, considering the high price of land that has been occur in the region.
However, the draft was changed the next three years in order to conduct efficiency. Because it has not fulfilled the desire, then even this plan changed back to the idea of re-constructed raised fungus. The legend says that the Johar market once known as the largest and most beautiful markets in Southeast Asia. Now the question is “could this be a return of Johar traditional market Semarang as the largest market in South East Asia?”
Semarang Mayor, Mr. Hendrar Prihadi held an emergency meeting near the market shortly after arriving. “We have decided that the vendors will be temporarily relocated to Rejomulyo Market. For the time being, all of their goods and merchandise will be accommodated in the market,” he said.
Vendors in both the Johar and Yaik markets attempted to rescue their goods and merchandise as the fires raged, piling them on the street.
Mr. Hendrar Prihadi said trucks from the Semarang administration, the Semarang Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), the police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) would help vendors relocate to Rejomulyo. “Our personnel attempted to extinguish the fires and secure the location, especially to protect the goods and merchandise rescued from the kiosks,” said Semarang Police chief Sr. Comr. Burhanudin.
The police said they had apprehended four individuals attempting to steal goods and merchandise from the burning markets. Azis, a Johar Market vendor, said losses suffered by the roughly 8,000 vendors were likely between Rp 100 million (US$7,700) and Rp 300 million apiece.
“I just want a place for us to start our businesses again. Hopefully, the government can act quickly [to find an alternative] because I need to work again,” said Azis, a clothing vendor.
The flames at Johar Market rapidly spread to the nearby Yaik Market from Saturday evening to Sunday morning. Some Semarang residents said it was painful to see such an important landmark destroyed. The market was on the city’s list of heritage sites.
The Semarang Historical Activists Community has called on the police to carefully investigate the cause of the fire. “If there are indications of an intention to set the markets ablaze, then the perpetrators are barbaric and do not understand the meaning of history and culture,” the community’s head, Rukardi, said.
Rukardi added there had been several attempts to revitalize Johar Market in recent years. “All vendors rejected the idea, however. Johar Market was the pride of Semarang and it was an icon of this city,” he said, adding he hoped the market could be rebuilt at the same location.
The existence of a traditional market compare to modern market which provide comfort and prestige for consumers is on the edge. There is a consequence for today trading place become more modern in lifestyles that thrive in the midst of the Indonesian people. Not only in the big city but it has expanded to a small town, in the suburb level. Many places that promises a comfortable shopping venue with a range of facilities and an attractive price. Modern markets offers goods in high-quality at a sure prices, and sometimes offer discounts. Also, they offer a wide selection of payment systems, ranging from credit cards to goods financial planning system. Surrounding with clean, bright, and has a well-functioning facilities such as toilets, a dining area, and a large parking area.
Competitive Advantage of Modern Market Seizing a Traditional Market
Modern markets and traditional markets competing in the same sector of the retail industry. On the one hand, modern market administered by professionals and self-contained facilities. While on the other side of the market is still confined to the traditional classical problem, management is still far from professional, also discomfort in shopping.
Modern retail market is able to provide all the needs in suitable price compare to traditional markets, sometimes the quality could be even better. If all this traditional market is considered superior in providing relatively lower prices for many commodities, with modern shopping facilities are much better economies in scale due to modern retailers and their direct access to the manufacturers can lower their cost of goods sold so that they are able to offer lower prices. Instead of traditional market traders, they generally have a small scale and face the long marketing chain to buy the goods that will be sold. Low cost advantages of traditional traders are now beginning to erode.
There were also an assumption that the traditional market advantage is also obtained from the location. The public will prefer shopping to the market that are closer. But now a modern shopping center continues to expand hunting a potential sites. With the increasingly widespread and spreading the location of a modern shopping center, its location advantage from traditional market will be lost.
A C Nielsen research results stating that in 2005 sales of grocery products in traditional market has decreased by 2% to its market share in 2005 to just 67.6%. The survey of 51 grocery product categories of traditional market is inedible to modern retail with mini market formation. While the survey results Dekopin (Indonesia Cooperative Council) said that the modern market like Indomaret, Alfamart, and the like kill 20 stalls around it. While for hypermarket if the distance is 2km away from the traditional markets can reduce turnover from 20% to 40%. In Bandung, West Java LGAs complained that traditional traders face decreased turnover in average of 40%, since the hypermarket presence in the city of Bandung. If the traditional markets in Indonesia could prevail, it will be a positive influence for Indonesia’s balance of payments. If the majority of Indonesian people prefer to shop at a traditional market, then the Modern market invasion will be able to hold. High quality local products that are currently sold in the modern market can be diverted for export.
Johar Market Semarang is a relic of history and a cultural heritage and need to be maintained, both the structure and the economic center in the city of Semarang.
Johar market revitalization is also a need so that the traders more comfortable. In addition to all, Johar market are classified as heritage buildings, it should be maintained. Johar is built by the Dutch architect Thomas Karsten in 1933.
Problems faced by the traders in Johar Market is also flooding tides (Rob). Revitalization meant is how there is no longer tidal flood struck, so that traders can comfortably work on economic activity.
The traditional market is a meeting place for sellers and buyers, and marked by a seller and buyer transaction directly, usually consists of building kiosks or outlets, stalls and open benthic nurseries. Nowadays, the market experienced growth both physical and non-physical. Developed into a market of modernization.
The term traditional and modern markets also came up. Traditional market presence grungy, muddy and narrow ranging forgotten by modern market presence in the middle of the community.
Traditional and Modern Market Conditions
Currently there are more than 13,000 traditional markets in Indonesia. There gathered more than 12.6 million merchants every day. If every trader has four family members, then there are about 50 million people associated to traditional markets. That does not include suppliers and consumers that are trading in the traditional market. Traditional market generally frequented by the lower middle class consumers. Unlike the supermarkets, traditional markets are mostly government-owned. Local governments in Indonesia generally has a Market Office that handles and manages traditional markets. The Department manages its own market or in cooperation with private companies.
Beginning in the 90s, the growth of the modern market is growing rapidly. Even grown increasingly out of control in the 2000s. The modern market is not only penetrated the upper middle-income people. They are now beginning to expand into the lower middle class. Modern market set up in strategic places in the city, near the traditional market or even stick to the traditional markets, as well as providing various facilities in shopping ease and convenience for the buyers. Modern market gives more value for buyers, not just getting goods needs, but also creates it’s own needs, through the concept of shopping and prestige as a trademark. Moreover, modern retailers are now able to compete with the traditional market price that previously known cheap. Direct access to the manufacturers to lower the cost of goods sold, so the modern market is able to offer lower prices. In contrast, traditional market with small-scale and long marketing chain.
The ability to attract customers, has become a force in its own development for the modern retail businesses. Suppliers became very dependent on them. Due to the weak position of the supplier, then they do not have ability to resist.
Traditional Market Development Model
Siding with the government to traditional traders can be realized by providing opportunities to traditional traders to participate to reap the benefits of community demand growth opportunities and help anticipate environmental changes that would threaten their existence. Side with traditional traders can also be done by helping improve their access to information, capital, and relationships with manufacturers or suppliers (suppliers). Due to the nature of the market traders traditional generally weak in many respects, the role of government was to actively empower traditional merchants. Therefore, it is necessary to explicitly favor regulation of traditional markets and control the growth of the modern market (large retailers).
Culture and Indonesian consumer behavior who likes a bargain are important factors that could even be regarded as a competitive advantage from the traditional market, because it is almost impossible to be applied by modern retailers. Another advantage is the proximity between the seller and the buyer are usually available in traditional retail is rarely found in modern retail even though they are often overcome with the customer database, but does not feel natural as the relationship built between the seller-buyer in the traditional market. Customer perception of the traditional market price is cheaper also be other factors, not to mention in the traditional market customers can buy the appropriate amount of (minimum) required while in modern retail is packed with standard measures.
Traditional markets which managed well could also have appeal as a tourist destination, as it has the elements of nature, culture, and its unique and distinctive. The tourist attraction can also be obtained from food and souvenirs typical of the region. Some traditional markets by leveraging existing successful tourist attraction include Pasar Kuin (floating market) in Banjarmasin, Klewer Market in Solo and Bali Sukawati Market.
REFERENCES
http://ekonomi.kompasiana.com/bisnis/2013/01/07/pasar-tradisional-sebagai-identitas-kota-517089.html
http://seputarsemarang.com/pasar-johar-semarang-7593/
id.wikipedia.org / wiki / market
www.google.com
http://www.metrotvnews.com/metronews/read/2013/05/15/6/153686/Ketua-DPD-RI-Berjanji-Revitalisasi-Pasar-Johar-Semarang
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/05/11/second-floor-fire-destroys-semarang-s-historic-johar-market.html#sthash.9iY5OhKj.dpuf
http://wahyu-prihatiningsih.blogspot.com/2010/11/pasar-modern-vs-pasar-tradional-karya.html
http://lampung.tribunnews.com/2011/05/31/melihat-nasib-pasar-tradisional-dari-dalam
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasan_Perdagangan_Johar
