SUWARTI, 47, sifts through the charred crossbeams, scavenging for fabric at Tanah Abang Market in Block A, Central Jakarta. This scavenger from Central Java was trying to scrounge up potential income amid the ruins of 5,700 kiosks in Southeast Asia's largest traditional marketplace.

As a result of the blaze, which took place two Wednesdays ago, Suwarti and those like her may be able to rake in more than usual. But then "scavenger extraordinai