Public bus fares to increase<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The City Land Transportation Owners Association (Organda) says it
\nwill propose increasing bus fares due to the fuel price rises.<\/p>\n
\"We will discuss increasing fares and will submit the proposal
\nto the governor soon,\" Organda chief Aip Syaifuddin told
\nreporters after meeting with City Transportation Agency
\nofficials.<\/p>\n
Aip said it was seeking the increase mainly because of the
\nincrease of automotive diesel fuel, used by almost all public
\nbuses.<\/p>\n
He said the last bus fare increase of about 14 percent in May
\nlast year was set when automotive diesel fuel cost Rp 1,250 per
\nliter.<\/p>\n
\"We did not increase the fares when the government increased
\nthe fuel price from Rp 1,250 to Rp 1,550 in August last year,\"
\nAip said.<\/p>\n
He said the fare increase was needed to avoid more bus
\ncompanies going broke and to support the maintenance of the
\ncurrent, elderly fleet of 9,000 buses.<\/p>\n
The central government decided on Thursday to raise the cost
\nof automotive diesel to Rp 1,890 per liter from Rp 1,550, and
\npremium gasoline to Rp 1,810 per liter from Rp 1,750.<\/p>\n
However, during Friday's meeting, the City Transportation
\nAgency and Organda agreed not to increase the fares without the
\ncity administration's approval.<\/p>\n
\"We will revoke the bus operators' permits if they are found
\nto have arbitrarily increased fares,\" agency head Rustam Effendy
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
The meeting was also attended by Kopaja bus cooperative
\nchairman Putu Wirta Antara, Mayasari bus company owner Mahfudz
\nand Metromini bus company director Thomas Silaen.<\/p>\n
On Friday, bus fares in several routes in the city remained
\nthe same.<\/p>\n
A driver for Perisai Bangsa Taxis said he did not know if taxi
\ntariffs would be increased. Most taxis use premium gasoline.<\/p>\n
According to procedure, Organda will submit its proposal to
\nthe governor, who would then hand the proposal to the City
\nCouncil. The later will later discuss the proposal with the
\ntransportation agency and the Indonesian Consumers Foundation
\n(YLKI) before it is again placed before the governor.<\/p>\n
Separately, City Governor Sutiyoso rejected suggestions the
\nadministration subsidize public transportation with the city's
\nemergency funds which currently total Rp 500 billion.<\/p>\n
\"It has been decided that our emergency funds should be used
\nfor natural disasters or helping people eat,\" Sutiyoso told
\nreporters at City Hall on Friday.<\/p>\n
He said the administration would use the funds if staple food
\nprices skyrocketed out of the reach of the people due to the fuel
\nprice hikes.<\/p>\n
The City Economic Affairs Office predicted on Thursday that
\nthe prices of staple foods, such as rice, vegetable oil, beef,
\nchili and onions, would increase by at least five percent due to
\nthe increases.<\/p>\n
The food price increases was attributed mainly to the costs of
\ndelivery.<\/p>\n
The central government also increased electricity tariffs and
\ntelephone rates.<\/p>",
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"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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