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Many bus commuters in Jakarta know that the total goods offered by peddlers are as comprehensive as some department stores. One of these peddlers is Mulyono, whose story reflects that of other people in his position. The 37-year-old left his hometown in Purwokerto, Central Java, and reached bankruptcy before he headed to Jakarta in pursuit of a fortune. With little money and no relatives around, Mulyono commutes on buses, selling towels and handkerchiefs. He tells My Jakarta about his struggle in the city, how he handles bargaining with buyers, and his dreams of restoring his past success.

Besides handkerchiefs and towels, have you ever sold things that you think are unique?

The most distinctive thing I ever sold was a perfumed pen for kids. I used to sell up to 200 pieces a day in 2000. Then there were rumors that the pens contained dangerous chemicals, so no one bought them anymore. But during the school holiday season, I also sell toys. You see, many peddlers sell various things here so everyone is always trying to make sure that he or she does not sell the same thing.

Where did you get the products you sell?

I do not have a special supplier for the products I sell, so I am always free to choose where to procure them from. Usually, twice a week I go to Mester Market in Jatinegara to buy dozens of handkerchiefs and towels. Sometimes, I will also go to Senen Market to buy children’s toys from the wholesalers, but that is just during the Ramadan and Christmas seasons.

Where and how do you sell your products?

Mostly I wander around Jakarta and Bekasi peddling on buses, but I also occasionally sell my products around the bus stations in Bekasi, Blok M, and Senen. Sometimes I also offer my products on long-distance buses. There is a unspoken agreement between peddlers and bus drivers, allowing us to get on their bus and in turn we sometimes give the drivers some of the stuff we sell for free.

Why did you come to Jakarta and start becoming a peddler?

I came here to redeem myself from failure in the eyes of my family. Back home, I once had a decent job as a grocery salesman. I had managed to save some money from my salary, which I used to run my own grocery store. One day, I decided to expand my business and had three of my friends join me to run it. I invested a lot of money on the new plan, but they misused it. I had to shut my grocery store and was officially bankrupt. Having no money, I then left my hometown to sell handkerchiefs and towels here to earn money for my family. I have to admit that it is not easy to survive in this city especially if you are a newcomer and have no relatives here. Now I only have my dream of regaining the success I had in the past. That’s what motivates me every morning before I go to work.

Have you ever met customers who relentlessly haggle?

Of course I have [smiles]. In this business, you always have to let people bargain for the products we sell, otherwise people will not buy them even when the prices are already low. To deal with that, I offer them a higher price than I need to make a profit, so that when they bargain I can lower it without losing money on the sale.

How are your sales? How much money do you make in an average day?

Every morning I bring seven or eight dozen handkerchiefs and towels to sell, and on average, I can make up to Rp 250,000 ($28) a day. During the Ramadan and Christmas season, I can make up to Rp 500,000 a day. On some bad days, however, I only make Rp 100,000.

Have you ever been arrested by Satpol PP (public order officers) while peddling around bus stations?

As far as I know, the Satpol PP usually do not arrest peddlers, mainly because peddlers do not use public facilities to do their business. We carry our products everywhere so there is no reason they’d accuse us of disturbing public order. There are of course times when the traffic police officers warn peddlers not to do their activities in the middle of the street because they fear traffic build up, but besides that, we rarely deal with the law enforcers.

Mulyono was talkingto Carlos Situmeang.

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