Military will punish drivers raising fares<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The City Military Command will take stern action
\nagainst taxi and public bus drivers who increase their fares
\narbitrarily, Commander Maj. Gen. Wiranto says.<\/p>\n
Wiranto told reporters yesterday that the City Military
\nCommand was ready to take tough action against bus crews and taxi
\ndrivers who create unrest among the people. \"Unlawful increases
\nin public transport fares could cause social unrest. We will not
\ncondone the practice,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Wiranto guaranteed that the military would deal with the
\nproblem properly. \"Try to write down the names of the drivers and
\nvehicle plate numbers and give the record to the nearest military
\noffice.\"<\/p>\n
However, he did not say whether he had instructed subordinates
\nto punish unethical drivers.<\/p>\n
As far as the government does not increase transport fares,
\nWiranto said, public transport crews and owners must not increase
\nthem arbitrarily.<\/p>\n
\"I demand that transit vehicle owners and crew do their jobs
\nproperly,\" the general said.<\/p>\n
He also stated that the City Military Command had anticipated
\nany possibility in connection with the illegal increase of
\ntransport fares.<\/p>\n
In a related development, Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said that
\nhis office will punish public transit vehicle owners who raise
\nthe fares illegally.<\/p>\n
The governor told reporters yesterday that he has ordered the
\nCity Land Transportation Agency to check the case thoroughly.<\/p>\n
\"I ordered the investigation because I will not do something
\nbased on rumors. And if the agency finds that the public
\ntransportation operators have increased the fares I will punish
\nthem,\" Surjadi said, refusing to mention the punishment violators
\nwould face.<\/p>\n
Several taxi drivers and public bus crews have recently
\nincreased fares despite the government turning down the
\nincreasing fares proposed by the Land Transport Owners
\nAssociation (Organda).<\/p>\n
Organda proposed that transportation fares be increased by an
\naverage of 130 percent.<\/p>\n
The proposal received harsh reaction from the consumers
\nfoundation, city council and the public. The minister of
\ntransportation then announced the proposal was rejected and
\nassured that there would be no increase in transportation fees
\nthis year.<\/p>\n
However, several bus crews have increased their fees by
\nbetween Rp 100 and Rp 200, while many taxi drivers are reluctant
\nto use their meters and some of them have changed the flag fall
\nfrom Rp 900 to Rp 1,500.<\/p>\n
Suryadi said he wanted the agency to record the names of the
\ncompanies and drivers.<\/p>\n
He also said that the Ministry of Transportation is still
\nreviewing Organda's proposal to increase the fares and the city
\nadministration is making several suggestions.<\/p>\n
Surjadi refused to reveal the suggestions, saying that it
\nwould be unethical to mention them because they relate to
\ngovernment policy.<\/p>\n
\"The review is aimed at meeting the interest of Organda's
\ndemands as well as protecting public interest,\" he said, adding
\nthat the fares will accommodate the interests of both parties.
\n(29\/yns)<\/p>",
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