Industry groups oppose scrapping of 3-in-1 system<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has met with opposition
\nfollowing its announcement that car stickers would replace the
\nthree-in-one traffic regulation after next month's General
\nSession of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
The head of Indonesian Transportation Society, Suyonodikun,
\nand an Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) executive, Agus
\nPambagio, called Monday for improvements to be made to the
\ncurrent system.<\/p>\n
The stickers will create new problems and burden motorists,
\nthey told The Jakarta Post after participating in a live-to-air
\ndiscussion on private radio station Trijaya FM at the Hilton
\nhotel.<\/p>\n
Suyonodikun -- whose organization represents NGO members,
\ngovernment officials and transportation owners -- said the
\nexisting system had two or three shortcomings but a complete
\nshift was not needed.<\/p>\n
The municipality should take steps toward decreasing the
\nproblems, including improving the quality of public buses, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"With good buses available on the streets, I think most people
\nworking in the city wouldn't hesitate to leave their cars in
\ngarages."<\/p>\n
Currently, city buses are too dirty and overcrowded, so many
\nresidents have decided to drive their cars rather than sweat it
\nout on public buses.<\/p>\n
Suyonodikun, who is also head of the transportation bureau of
\nthe National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), said the
\nmunicipality should also provide buses to ply short distances
\naround certain thoroughfares to help ease traffic congestion.<\/p>\n
The three-in-one regulation, which was introduced in 1992,
\nrequires a minimum of three passengers in a private car traveling
\nalong the city's major thoroughfares of Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Jl.
\nSudirman and part of Jl. Gatot Subroto between 6:30 a.m. and 10
\na.m. every day except Sunday.<\/p>\n
In December, the municipality announced it would do away with
\nthe regulation, which was designed to encourage people to use
\npublic buses, because it had been circumvented by motorists
\nhiring "jockeys".<\/p>\n
Jockey is the local term for people offering themselves as the
\nsecond or third passenger in a car -- at the rate of Rp 1,000 --
\nfor a short ride through the restricted area.<\/p>\n
After meeting with President Soeharto last month, Governor
\nSutiyoso said the sticker system would be implemented after the
\nMPR General Session in March.<\/p>\n
The governor promised that the new system would benefit the
\npoor because "the money earned from the sale of stickers will be
\nused to improve public transportation fleets".<\/p>\n
At least three firms have submitted a proposal to become
\npartners in the scheme and provide the necessary hardware.<\/p>\n
One of the firms, PT Wijaya Wisesa, owned by former Jakarta
\ndeputy governor Eddie M. Nalapraya, reportedly proposed that
\nmotorists be charged Rp 5,000 per entry, Rp 8,000 for the entire
\nday and Rp 100,000 for one month.<\/p>\n
City councilors hailed the plan, saying the city would gain
\nmore from the new system.<\/p>\n
But Agus from YLKI said the municipality had no real reason
\nfor revoking the three-in-one regulation and replacing it with
\nthe sticker system.<\/p>\n
"The new concept seems to burden the people more. The public
\ndo not want to learn a new concept when they have just become
\naccustomed to the current one."<\/p>\n
He also expressed doubt that city officials would be able to
\nsatisfactorily manage revenue from the new system.<\/p>\n
The two-hour discussion on Trijaya FM also invited listeners
\nto call in with their views on the three-in-one regulation.<\/p>\n
Most participants shared Suyonodikun and Agus' opinions,
\nsaying they would prefer to find alternative shortcuts rather
\nthan buy the stickers.<\/p>\n
"The three-in-one system could work well as long as all of us,
\nthe motorists, officials and police, are disciplined citizens,"
\none listener, Nurul from Depok, said. (emf\/bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/industry-groups-oppose-scrapping-of-3-in-1-system-1447893297",
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