'Becak' drivers withdraw support for PDI-P<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): More than 200 becak (pedicab) drivers handed
\nover on Wednesday several Indonesia Democratic Party for Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan) attributes at the party's headquarters to
\ndemonstrate that they had withdrawn their support for the party.<\/p>\n
However, none of PDI Perjuangan's members met with the pedicab
\ndrivers as they were either attending a meeting at the City
\nCouncil or House of Representatives (DPR), said Ario Bimo,
\nadministrative head of PDI Perjuangan's headquarters.<\/p>\n
Jukimin Suseno, leader of the Daya Manunggal pedicab drivers'
\nunion, read out a statement before Ario, "We are very grateful to
\nPDI Perjuangan for fobbing us off with promise after promise."<\/p>\n
Jukimin said the becak drivers came to hand over PDI
\nPerjuangan membership cards, flags and T-shirts since the party
\nfailed to keep its promise, made during the 1999 general election
\ncampaign, to defend their interests.<\/p>\n
He claimed that instead of protecting the common people, PDI
\nPerjuangan was protecting the city governor and city councillors,
\nwho he said had failed to accommodate the aspirations of pedicab
\ndrivers.<\/p>\n
"PDI Perjuangan has broken its promise and forgotten its power
\nbase as a political party. To us PDI Perjuangan is dead," Jukimin
\nsaid, adding that Megawati can only rule this country with the
\nsupport of the common people.<\/p>\n
The drivers, who are members of four pedicab drivers' unions
\nin Jakarta, staged a rally at the parking lot of the PDI
\nPerjuangan's headquarters on Jl. Pecenongan, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The drivers sang the national anthem Indonesia Raya and orated
\nmostly on their poverty and how they were being "colonized" by
\nthe city administration.<\/p>\n
After Jukimin read the statement, the drivers handed over
\ntheir PDI Perjuangan attributes to Ario and two clerks.<\/p>\n
The rally ended peacefully.<\/p>\n
However, Jukimin said after the rally that the becak drivers
\nwould support PDI Perjuangan again if the party helped them solve
\ntheir problems.<\/p>\n
The drivers had twice asked PDI Perjuangan to help them fight
\nagainst raids by the city administration. The raids have angered
\nthe drivers and sparked riots in several parts of the city
\nrecently.<\/p>\n
Ario said he had no idea why the pedicab drivers returned
\ntheir PDI Perjuangan attributes. "Our members have been
\ndiscussing their problems in the City Council," he remarked.<\/p>\n
After the rally, Jukimin and nine other drivers went to the
\nCity Council on Jl. Kebon Sirih to hold a meeting with the
\ncouncillors.<\/p>\n
Jukimin urged the City Council to revoke Bylaw No. 11\/1988 on
\npublic order, which bans the operation of pedicabs on the city's
\nstreets, and discuss the problem with Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
Deputy chairman of the City Council Tarmidi Subardjo, said he
\ncould not guarantee that the raids on pedicabs would stop and
\nthat he could only urge the administration to do so.<\/p>\n
"However, you (becak drivers) should remember that you had
\nviolated the city bylaw," he said, citing Bylaw No 11\/1988.<\/p>\n
The meeting ended with a promise from the councillors that
\nthey would discuss the pedicab drivers' problems with Sutiyoso
\nnext week.<\/p>\n
Separately, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa
\nWea held a one hour meeting with the Urban Poor Consortium and
\nsome 60 becak drivers and street car washers.<\/p>\n
"I will personally go to Governor Sutiyoso to seek a solution
\nto this matter. Hopefully, there will be a solution to this,"
\nJacob was quoted as saying by Antara.<\/p>\n
Jacob urged becak drivers and street car washers not to hold
\nany demonstrations for a week and the administration not take
\nrepressive actions in its attempt to rid the capital of becak and
\nstreet car washing activities.<\/p>\n
He offered several alternatives, including channeling pedicab
\ndrivers and street car washers to scrap iron processing companies
\nor other businesses in Greater Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He also proposed that pedicabs be improved by equipping them
\nwith engines as had been done in North Sumatra and Aceh, and to
\nallow the pedicabs to operate on the city's main streets at
\ncertain hours only.<\/p>\n
"So, the becak must not be eradicated from the capital," he
\nsaid.(04)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/becak-drivers-withdraw-support-for-pdi-p-1447893297",
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