`Fire the corrupt managers of PPD'<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The ministry of transportation should embark on a major
\noverhaul of the state-owned bus operator Djakarta Transportation
\nCompany (PPD) to salvage it from total collapse, experts
\nsuggested.<\/p>\n
A transportation expert from the Bandung Institute of
\nTechnology (ITB), Ofyar Y. Tamim said that the restructuring
\nshould include a concerted effort to rid itself of corrupt staff
\nmembers, as woes afflicting the enterprise were, in large part,
\nthe result of malfeasance from within the company.<\/p>\n
He said that it was logical that the restructuring drive
\nshould start with a mass layoff, as the company was already
\noverstaffed.<\/p>\n
"Afterwards, the government needs to install professionals to
\nhandle the company's management," he said.<\/p>\n
The government recently planned to lay off about 2,000 workers
\nas part of its effort to improve the company's profitability. It
\nwas also ready to provide the company with 150 new buses to
\nimprove its aging fleet.<\/p>\n
"A public transportation business has the least likelihood of
\ngoing bankrupt as the demand for the service is constant. But in
\nfact, it's not only PPD that is failing to earn profits, most of
\nthe other city bus companies are also in a poor state," he told
\nThe Jakarta Post over the weekend.<\/p>\n
He said that profits that should be allocated for new buses
\nand maintenance had, in fact, been misused by the company's
\nmanagement.<\/p>\n
Rampant corruption has hampered the company in providing a
\nproper standard of service to the public.<\/p>\n
Now that a large part of its fleet is deteriorating, the
\nmanagement of PPD, backed by all of its employees, has urged the
\ngovernment to bail out the ailing company, he said.<\/p>\n
Saying that the ministry of transportation was already
\noverburdened in trying to handle all the transportation problems
\nin the country, he said : "An option that should be given
\nconsideration is handing over the company to the Jakarta city
\nadministration, which does not have its own public transportation
\ncompany."<\/p>\n
Another expert, Alan Narino, said that massive layoffs and
\nbuying more buses would only be effective after the corrupt
\nmanagement was removed.<\/p>\n
"This is not the first time the government has made plans to
\nlay off workers, it has already been done in the past. But since
\nthe corrupt management was left intact, no significant, positive
\nchange resulted," he told the Post.<\/p>\n
Echoing Ofyar on the need to install professionals to manage
\nthe company, he said: "Fire those corrupt personnel that have
\nlong misused the company's profits."<\/p>\n
Alan, however, played down any plans to privatize PPD.<\/p>\n
"I doubt if a company driven by private interests can provide
\naffordable service to the public," he said.<\/p>\n
He said that the most viable option for PPD was to change the
\nenterprise into what he called a public-private company.<\/p>\n
"This means that this enterprise will cater to the public
\nneeds, but the management is run by a private company," he said,
\nadding that given its stature as a private company, the public
\nshould have knowledge of its financial soundness.<\/p>\n
"PPD is but one more example of how state-owned companies have
\njust become cash cows for the people entrusted to manage them,"
\nhe said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fire-the-corrupt-managers-of-ppd-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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