Jakarta Legislative Coucil Commission B Chairman, Nova Harvian Paloh contends that the revitalization of traditional markets must go beyond mere structural renovations.

He emphasizes that markets need to adopt creative concepts and unique attractions to draw in crowds and breathe new life into local commerce.

His remarks came in response to the lackluster foot traffic at Pondok Labu Market, which reportedly remains deserted despite recent upgrades.

He believes the city government should boost local traders and introduce new reasons for people to visit markets. He proposed strengthening the Jakpreneur initiative with high-level training and mentoring.

"Content is king in a market. If the revitalization is top-notch but there are no visitors, it’s all for naught," he concluded.

Nova envisions a strategic synergy: giving Jakpreneur graduates a two-year rent-free window to fill empty market stalls. This move would allow new businesses to flourish while drawing in fresh crowds.

He also pushed for universities to step in as business incubators for deeper, more comprehensive training. It is about quality over quantity, emphasizing that the program must produce resilient entrepreneurs with sharp business instincts rather than just hitting recruitment quotas.

In his view, traditional markets must evolve into entrepreneurial hotspots for young creators. Citing the success of Santa Market, he highlighted how creative branding can revitalize a market’s popularity.

"We need a fresh concept for our markets. The goal for Jakpreneur’s incubation is to ensure these entrepreneurs have the skills and expertise to stay competitive in today’s business landscape," he added.

Physical fixes without a strategy to breathe life into the marketplace are a recipe for failure, Nova warned. He observed similar patterns in luxury retail outlets where great architecture fails to mask a lack of interesting content, resulting in empty aisles.

"Improving the aesthetics is pointless if the interior doesn't offer an exciting experience," he stated.