Price gouging found at vehicle centers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City councilors visiting several city-run
\nvehicle test centers on Monday were angered by the price gouging
\nthey discovered at the centers.<\/p>\n
\"The official fees vary from Rp 16,500 to Rp 20,000 (US$2.20
\nto US$ 2.70) per vehicle, but we found people paying up to Rp
\n150,000 to get their vehicles checked,\" the chairman of the
\ncouncil's Commission C on financial affairs, Amarullah Asbah,
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"We regret that this condition exists and urge the City Public
\nLand Transportation Agency, which controls the test centers, to
\ntake strong action against officials who are involved in the
\nscam,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Amarullah also disclosed that the test prices would be raised
\nby 100 percent beginning in April as stipulated in City Bylaw No.
\n3\/1999.<\/p>\n
\"The new fees will range from Rp 25,000 to Rp 40,000 per
\nvehicle,\" he said, adding that he expected the city
\nadministration would familiarize residents with the price hike.<\/p>\n
Amarullah was speaking after members of the commission
\ninspected the city-run vehicle test centers in Pulogadung and
\nUjung Menteng, both in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
There are also test centers in Cilincing, North Jakarta,
\nJagakarsa, South Jakarta, and Kedaung, West Jakarta. Each center
\ntests some 400 vehicles daily.<\/p>\n
Councilor Nazamuddin of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said
\nthat while considering the number of vehicles served by the
\ncenters, the city administration had lost most of its potential
\nrevenue from the test centers because of the scam.<\/p>\n
\"Where did all the money go? Surely it was not going into the
\ncity's pockets,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Azis, a mikrolet (public minivan) driver, told the councilors
\nhe had to pay an additional Rp 5,000 to receive the special mark
\non his minivan indicating it had been tested.<\/p>\n
\"The worker said it was voluntarily, but everyone knew that
\nthey would not do the work if you did not pay them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The head of the City Public Land Transportation Agency, Buyung
\nAtang, was upset at learning that customers were forced to pay an
\nadditional fee for the mark, which he said was included in the
\nofficial price.<\/p>\n
\"The agency pays Rp 3,000 per vehicle for the special mark to
\nour private partner, PT Amanah. Residents don't have to pay to
\nget their vehicles marked,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nazamuddin said the test centers contributed more than Rp 8
\nbillion to the city's coffers in the 1998\/1999 fiscal year. In
\nthe 1999\/2000 fiscal year, however, this figure decreased to some
\nRp 4 billion due to discounted prices at the centers as
\nstipulated in Gubernatorial Decree No. 4430\/1999.<\/p>\n
\"The situation is worse because the city administration has to
\ncompensate its partners for their losses in running the centers,\"
\nhe said. \"The city administration had to pay PT SAWU and PT Nakia
\nmore than Rp 500 million each to cover their losses.\" (05)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/price-gouging-found-at-vehicle-centers-1447893297",
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