City told to learn from fiasco of pedicab abolition<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Land Transportation Owners
\n(Organda) has assured all registered bemo drivers that
\nthey will be eligible to trade in their vehicles and purchase
\nminivans through time payments, an official of the association
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A bemo is a motorized three-wheeled transportation vehicle.<\/p>\n
Hutagalung, one of the association's division heads, told
\nreporters yesterday that Governor Surjadi Soedirdja had agreed to
\nthe plan to arrange for each driver of registered bemo to have a
\nnew minivan.<\/p>\n
Hutagalung did not mention the process a bemo driver would
\nhave to go through to obtain a minivan.<\/p>\n
He said that the provision of minivans through bank loans was
\nunder negotiation. He added that minivan dealers would appraise
\nand buy the bemo, allowing the drivers to put a down payment on
\nnew minivans.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, City Councilor Machmud Chaniago told the
\nadministration to be extra careful in phasing out the bemo.<\/p>\n
"Bemo should only be phased out when the administration is
\nready," said Machmud of the Commission B for economic affairs.<\/p>\n
The provision of minivans for bemo owners must be well
\nprepared, he added.<\/p>\n
"Bemo owners should get new minivans as soon as their bemo are
\nhanded over to the authorities. Delayed process could endanger
\nthe livelihood of both owners and drivers," he said.<\/p>\n
There are around 1,800 bemo in Jakarta, including 750 which
\nlack permits.<\/p>\n
Chaniago also said the administration must not promise bemo
\ndrivers too much, as it did with becak drivers some years ago.<\/p>\n
"When becak were phased out (in 1990) the administration
\npromised that the drivers would be trained as drivers of
\nmotorized vehicles," said Machmud from the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty faction.<\/p>\n
"But only a few becak drivers were trained due to poor
\narrangements. People living in housing complexes have been
\nwaiting for another means of transportation since becak were
\nofficially banned," he said.<\/p>\n
Motorcycle taxis (ojek) stepped into the vacuum left by the
\nabsence of becak. "But ojek is not part of the public
\ntransportation system officially acknowledged in the city," he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
The city transportation system does not recognize three-
\nwheeled and two-wheeled public transportation vehicles.<\/p>\n
Due to the public's needs, the bemo and the smaller capacity
\nthree-wheeled bajaj have been tolerated.<\/p>\n
The seven-seat bemo has been operating in the city since
\n1962.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year Governor Surjadi instructed that the three-
\nwheeled bemo should be replaced by compact four-wheeled vehicles
\nto save space on small roads.<\/p>\n
Organda earlier suggested that bemo owners should be given Rp
\n500,000 for their vehicles.<\/p>\n
"Such low compensation is inhumane," said Hasan Dasy, another
\nCommission B city councilor.<\/p>\n
Hasan said the administration should take into account the
\ncurrent market price of bemo which can reach Rp 9 million.
\n(yns\/anr)<\/p>",
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