Plan to import buses from China still under question<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): None of the 14 privately-owned city bus
\ncompanies here have submitted formal proposals for the planned
\npurchase of buses shipped from China, an executive of the company
\nappointed to import the buses said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"So far, they've only said they're willing to buy, but I still
\nhave no idea of the number of buses to be purchased from them
\n(China),\" said the worried president of PT. Dayu Bahtara Kurnia,
\nKarta Wiguna Mustapa.<\/p>\n
His company was appointed recently by the city administration
\nin an open bidding to handle the shipment and transaction of a
\ntotal of 3,000 buses from China. The first batch of 1,000 buses
\nis expected to arrive in Jakarta sometime in December.<\/p>\n
Despite his doubts, Karta said Dayu Bahtara Kurnia has no
\nintention so far to cancel the plan and was certain that the bus
\ncompanies in the capital would finally purchase the buses.<\/p>\n
The vehicles to be imported from China are of two sizes,
\nnamely 54-seat buses and 26-seat minibuses. The first type are
\nbeing offered at Rp 250 million (US$29,760) each, while the
\nminibuses will sell for Rp 160 million each.<\/p>\n
City administration officials boasted earlier that the Chinese
\nbuses, which run on liquefied gas, are more environmentally
\nfriendly than Jakarta's current buses which use gasoline or
\ndiesel.<\/p>\n
According to the plan, each of the buses should provide at
\nleast one seat for disabled people.<\/p>\n
The city administration claimed that the import of the 3,000
\nbuses was designed to replace the aging buses in Jakarta,
\nparticularly those that have been operating continuously for the
\npast 10 to 20 years.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Organization of Land
\nTransportation Owners (Organda), Aip Sjarifuddin, said that
\nJakarta currently has 2,028 buses, including minibuses, which
\nhave been serving passengers for more than 20 years, and 1,556
\nothers that have been roaring up and down the capital's roads for
\nat least 15 years.<\/p>\n
\"Based on a rough calculation, we assume that Jakarta bus
\ncompanies need around 3,500 new buses to replace the aging ones,\"
\nAip said.<\/p>\n
\"But we will comply with the financial capabilities of the
\ncompanies to purchase the imported buses from China,\" he said,
\ngiving no further explanation.<\/p>\n
Karta said his company would offer the buses to the bus firms
\non a six-year lease from Sinar Mas Leasing Company with an 18-
\npercent interest rate.<\/p>\n
\"Companies that decide to purchase the buses are required to
\npay 10 percent of the price as down payment,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Karta further claimed that the bus factory in China would also
\nprovide a lifetime warranty for the buses' spare parts.<\/p>\n
\"Almost 60 percent of the spareparts are already available
\nhere, and the remaining 40 percent will be provided directly from
\nChina. Each bus can be used for at least 20 years,\" Karta said.<\/p>\n
The City Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ) Chief Buyung Atang
\nsaid Governor Sutiyoso had approved the plan and will ask the
\nMinistry of Industry and Trade to help lower the import taxes for
\nthe buses.<\/p>\n
\"We will ask the ministry to give five percent import tax for
\neach unit, instead of the current 40 percent, to minimize the
\nprice of the buses,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The governor also strongly urged bus companies in Jakarta not
\nto hike bus fares simply because of the new investment they had
\nto carry.<\/p>\n
\"The government will help bus companies obtain the new buses
\nbut they also have to promise that they will not impose a fare
\nhike because of this,\" he added. (dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/plan-to-import-buses-from-china-still-under-question-1447893297",
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