Council demands delay in public bus fare hike<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City Council Commission D for development
\naffairs demanded on Friday that the Organization of City Land
\nTransportation Owners (Organda) postpone its decision to increase
\nfares of public air-conditioned buses.<\/p>\n
\"We urge Organda to delay the rise until it discusses it with
\nus,\" the commission's secretary, Bimo Hastoro, told reporters.<\/p>\n
Bimo, of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP),
\nslammed the association for deciding to increase the bus fare
\nfrom Rp 2,500 (US$0.30) to Rp 3,300 without discussing it first
\nwith the council.<\/p>\n
He accused Organda of violating its agreement with the council
\nlast month that the fare should not be increased beyond Rp 3,100.<\/p>\n
\"We are really upset that Organda did not heed our agreement.
\nThey seem to ignore us as public representatives,\" Bimo said.<\/p>\n
He said that the fare for air-conditioned buses was also a
\npublic matter and should be discussed with public representatives
\nalthough Law 14\/1992 on public transportation does stipulate that
\nfares for air-conditioned buses would be decided by
\ntransportation operators.<\/p>\n
He said City Council had summoned Organda to explain the fare
\ndecision in a hearing scheduled for next week.<\/p>\n
Another councillor, Ali Imran Husein of the United Development
\nParty (PPP), was disappointed that the city administration seemed
\nto refuse responsibility on the decision of the bus fare
\nincrease.<\/p>\n
\"The administration cannot say whether they know anything
\nabout the increase or not,\" said Ali who is deputy chairman of
\nthe commission.<\/p>\n
He said Organda had adopted a monopolistic practice in
\ndeciding the bus fare increase, instead of a market mechanism
\nthat was always required by the city administration.<\/p>\n
After announcing the increase, Organda's chairman Aip
\nSyaifuddin claimed that the rise had been approved by the
\nadministration and City Council.<\/p>\n
Aip said that Organda had to raise the fare due to an increase
\nin the price of oil in June, which had prompted the management of
\nother regular and economic-class buses to increase their fares
\nlast month.<\/p>\n
Fares for regular buses were increased from Rp 500 to Rp 700,
\nthe fare for medium-sized buses such as Metromini and Kopaja
\nbuses was also increased from Rp 700 to Rp 900 and the fare for
\npublic minivans was increased from Rp 1,000 to Rp 1,200.<\/p>\n
Organda groups 15 bus companies that operate more than 10,000
\nlarge and medium-sized buses and 12,000 minivans in Greater
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Separately, City Governor Sutiyoso denied on Friday that the
\nadministration was involved in a decision to increase the fares
\nof air-conditioned buses.<\/p>\n
\"We haven't been involved in deciding the fare. We have
\ncomplied with the government regulation that stipulates the
\napplication of a market mechanism for the bus fare,\" Sutiyoso
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
Asked whether the increase could be postponed and discussed
\nfurther, Sutiyoso seemed reluctant to delay the increase although
\nhe hinted at the possibility to discuss the rise.<\/p>\n
He said he was ready to discuss the matter with the council,
\nOrganda as well as the Indonesian Consumers Institute Foundation
\n(YLKI).<\/p>\n
\"I will also ask my subordinates about the matter. My staff
\nshould inform me about the reaction of the general public,
\nincluding if there is any rejection to the fare hike,\" he added.
\n(jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/council-demands-delay-in-public-bus-fare-hike-1447893297",
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