Merchants require the business capital because they need to further replenish stocks of products
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reminded merchants in traditional markets that the cash assistance worth Rp1.2 million (US$84) they received should be used as additional business capital for the Ramadan and Eid periods.

"Merchants require the business capital because they need to further replenish stocks of products," the president stated during his visit to Kanoman Market, Cirebon City, West Java, on Wednesday.

According to the president, market merchants require additional cash assistance after resuming their trade activities, as the COVID-19 pandemic situation had been brought under better control.


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The extra cash assistance is also required, as market merchants need to replenish the stocks of their products when residents start thronging traditional markets again, especially during the expected increase in commodity demands during the Ramadan fasting and Eid al-Fitr period, he remarked.

Apart from visiting Kanoman Market, the president also visited Harjamukti Market to offer the cash assistance.

At Harjamukti Market, he reminded recipients to not utilize the cash assistance for other purposes but as business capital.

"What is this (cash assistance) for? It is for business capital. Remember, do not (use the cash assistance to) buy new phones," Jokowi stated.

During his visit to Cirebon, Jokowi is expected to present cooking oil cash assistance to street vendors and recipient families as well as cash assistance to market merchants for business capital.

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Apart from presenting the cash assistance, the president is also expected to observe labor activities at the city's Lemahwungkuk Sub-district and meet fishermen in Bandengan Village, Mundu Sub-district, Cirebon District.

After his visit to Cirebon, the president will continue his visit to Brebes District, Central Java, to hand over cash assistance to recipients in the district's Tanjung and Bulakamba markets and then officiate the Kaligangsa Bridge on the Brebes-Tegal ring road.

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Translator: Indra Arief P, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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