Partisipasi Publik dan Harmoni Sosial: Studi Kasus Perumusan Peraturan Daerah Nomor 2 Tahun 2003 tentang Penataan Pedagang Kaki Lima Kota Salatiga

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the street vendors (PKL– Pedagang Kaki Lima) in Salatiga City who, with stakeholders, participate in responding to various problems that threaten their existence. Street vendors have become a social phenomenon, especially in urban areas of developing countries. It even can be claimed that the existence of street vendors is a unique characteristic of developing countries. Street vendors can be distinguished from other vendors based on what they sell and the ownership status of their business location, and not based on their capital strength, modes of doing business, or even legal status. Street vendors will always select strategic places to sell their products, such as empty areas that are adjacent to pedestrian or motorized vehicle lines. They sell various products, depending on the local characters of their surrounding places and activities. Because they often sell their products on sidewalks among pedestrians’ activities, their presence creates distinctive problems for city governments and stakeholders. Conflicts related to street vendors remain an unresolved national issue because city governments’ policies in regulating the presence of street vendors to support their urban planning policies. In Indonesia, conflicts between street vendors and other surrounding stakeholders and governments are not a new phenomenon. Electronic and social media often inform us conflicts between street vendors themselves or between street vendors and other stakeholders. However, a more comprehensive analysis will likely indicate that the most common conflicts ensue between street vendors and governments. Further, these conflicts always involve violent eviction of street vendors because numerous local government regulations aim to improve the quality of their public space. As a small city with a relatively high number of street vendors of 2,750 units (the figure in year 2002), Salatiga have also experienced numerous conflicts either between street vendors themselves or between street vendors and various stakeholders (governments, surrounding community, shop owners, market sellers, parking attendants, becak drivers angkot drivers, and andong drivers. Various factors triggered these conflicts, such as sanitation, amenities, business location, monopoly, and social resentment between local and outsider street vendors. These factors are also commonly found in bigger cities, causing public and governments to neglect these conflicts. This study explains the experience of street vendors in Salatiga City who, with stakeholders, participate in formulating the street vendor regulation policy to maintain social harmony. Their participation is a manifestation of common awareness in developing harmonious relationship with other stakeholders to facilitate better social order. Further, sense of belonging and common responsibility and mutual respect of all related stakeholders are the main conditions of a well-functioning conflict resolution. Such active participation helped the enactment of Local Regulation No. 2 year 2003 that was based on common concern on humanity values such as mutual respect and to facilitate better lives of all related stakeholders as individuals or as groups. Participation is multidimensional because it requires commitment from various parties. Participation likely results in better outcomes when governments positively respond; causing public to perceive that they have more freedom to express their expression. Lack of government role in responding public good will as a form of participation in finding solutions to their problems will make it more difficult to find common perception between all stakeholders in the participation process. Street vendors and stakeholders in Salatiga showed a tremendous participation in the public policy making process. Both participant actors – street vendors and stakeholders –proactively participate in the process by utilizing their resources. The enactment of Local Regulation No. 2 Year 2003 indicated the success of street vendors and other stakeholders’ participation in the public policy making process. Participation of street vendors and stakeholders in 2002 was a start of conflict resolution process that enables Salatiga City to maintain its conducive situation and to prevent conflicts. Active participation of all related stakeholders in responding to various problems, especially those related to the existence of street vendors in Salatiga, could prevent multidimensional conflict in this city. Street vendors and stakeholders did not spontaneously participate in the public policy making process but long-lasting conducive situation encourages street vendors and stakeholders to do so. More specifically, street vendors and stakeholders show sense of togetherness because they have similar goals of earning for their lives, caring each other, and building better future. In responding the dynamics of street vendors, the government of Salatiga City amended Local Regulation No. 2 Year 2003 with Local Regulation No. 4 Year 2015. This amendment confirms that the solid foundation of active participation that has been initiated since 2002 protected the social harmony.