Consumer group decries hikes in freeway tolls<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers' Foundation (YLKI)
\ndecried yesterday the latest increases in the city's toll road
\ncharges, of between 13 percent and 25 percent, saying the move
\nruns counter to the government's avowed objective of promoting
\ngreater equity.<\/p>\n
YLKI chairwoman Zoemrotin K. said the increase, which was
\nannounced on Sunday night, will further widen the gap between
\nrich and poor.<\/p>\n
In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post, Zoemrotin
\nsaid the foundation is particularly concerned about talk that
\nthere are soon to be increases in public transport fares.<\/p>\n
The Directorate General of Land Transportation recently
\nendorsed the 130 percent increase in bus fares sought by the Land
\nTransportation Owners' Organization.<\/p>\n
The state-owned toll road company, PT Jasa Marga, announced
\nyesterday that charges for the Tomang-Cawang-Tanjung Priok-Ancol
\nTimur toll road will be raised by between 13% and 25% commencing
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The tolls were increased by Presidential Decree No. 72\/1995,
\nwhich was announced on Sunday night just prior to President
\nSoeharto's departure on an 18-day overseas trip.<\/p>\n
The new fee for small vehicles, such as jeeps, sedans,
\npickups, small trucks and medium-sized buses (Class I), is Rp
\n2,500. The old toll was Rp 2,000. The fee for large vehicles
\n(Class IIA) is Rp 3,500, up Rp 500, while the new toll for very
\nlarge (Class IIB) vehicles is Rp 4,500.<\/p>\n
A 20 percent discount for purchasers of monthly tickets will
\ncontinue to apply.<\/p>\n
Zoemrotin warned that the increase in road tolls and bus fares
\nwould be a heavy burden for the public. \"Things will become
\ndangerous for national stability if the public can no longer bear
\ntheir burden,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"YLKI studies have found that 60 percent of the salaries of a
\nlower-level civil servants are spent on transportation. The
\ngovernment should be aware of this,\" Zoemrotin said.<\/p>\n
The YLKI is also appealing to the government to reject the
\nproposed increases in bus fares. \"The YLKI also demands that the
\nminimum wages for workers be increased,\" Zoemrotin said in the
\nstatement.<\/p>\n
Zoemrotin said that the fee structures for urban toll roads
\nshould be based on the distance traveled by a motorist, rather
\nthan the current flat rate.<\/p>\n
The last time road tolls were increased was in July 1992, in
\nan increase of between 20 and 50 percent. Since then, Indonesia
\nhas seen almost 30 percent cumulative inflation.<\/p>\n
Jasa Marga President Maryadi Darmokumoro said yesterday that
\ntomorrow's increase takes into account the fact that the length
\nof the toll road has been expanded with the inclusion of a new
\n6.4-kilometer segment from Tanjung Priok to Ancol Timur.<\/p>\n
\"So this is like setting a new tariff for the Tomang-Cawang-
\nTanjung Priok-Ancol Timur toll road segment, rather than an
\nincrease in the toll road tariff,\" Maryadi said.<\/p>\n
PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada, the company which built the
\nCawang to Tanjung Priok segment, recently proposed an increase of
\nbetween 25 percent and 50 percent in tolls, in order to speed up
\nits repayment of the loans used to build the toll road.<\/p>\n
Citra Marga collects three quarters of the toll revenues,
\nwhile the remaining quarter goes to Jasa Marga. (sur\/31)<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/consumer-group-decries-hikes-in-freeway-tolls-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }