PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan emphasized that the eviction of street vendors (PKL) is being carried out in accordance with regional regulations, without compensation or relocation obligations. The Bandung City Government remains open to solutions for street vendors by discussing alternative locations after the eviction.

Farhan explained that the relocation plan to land owned by Jaswita, a West Java Regionally-Owned Enterprise (BUMD), needs to be discussed with the management.

"If the regulation on street vendors is clear in the regional regulation, there will be no relocation and no compensation," said Farhan at Bandung City Hall, Tuesday (11/8/2026).

Farhan responded to the plan to relocate street vendors to the Cicaheum area which was previously conveyed by the Regional Secretary of West Java.

"If there is indeed a relocation as conveyed by the Provincial Secretary yesterday in Cicaheum, please negotiate with the owner of the place," he said.

According to Farhan, formal business locations have rental and maintenance costs that traders need to take into account when running their businesses.

"The problem with joining BTM is that you have to rent a place and pay monthly service fees," he said.

This condition is a challenge because most street vendors have not included rental and maintenance costs in their business cost structure.

"Our street vendors aren't businesses with a budget or cost structure for rent and maintenance. This needs to be discussed in more detail," Farhan said.

Farhan welcomed the possibility of Jaswita's land being a temporary solution, but said the mechanism for its use needed to be discussed in more detail.

"I would be very grateful if there is a solution. But, as the Regional Secretary said, the solution must be discussed in more detail, and this solution is only temporary," he said.

Regarding the MSME Center, Farhan requested that the concept of PKL placement be reviewed so as not to displace business actors who have already developed in the area.

"Basically, we want to restore the growth of businesses within the surrounding community through the UMKM Center," he said.

Farhan warned that moving street vendors from outside the area to the MSME Center risks reducing the business space of people who have already been active.

"If we move outside street vendors into the MSME Center, it will displace local businesses and displace local businesses. Therefore, the purpose of the MSME Center will be defeated," he said.

Farhan encourages street vendors who want to continue their business to enter the formal market by taking rental costs into account in the price structure and working capital.

"Basically, street vendors are encouraged to enter the market and pay rent. Include the rental fee in the sales structure within working capital," he said.

The arrangement of street vendors is aimed at balancing the enforcement of regulations, the sustainability of traders' businesses, and the protection of local business actors.

(Bandung City Communications and Information Service/bhf)