Tangerang halts illegal levies<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
The Tangerang municipal administration agreed on Friday to
\ntemporarily stop collecting a road use levy imposed on truck
\ndrivers following the attacks on 16 collection booths by angry
\ndrivers.<\/p>\n
"The levies have been halted for an unspecified amount of
\ntime. The administration will reevaluate the system and the
\nsecurity factors," administration spokesman Hery Kusnady told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The administration imposed the levy starting last month based
\non Bylaw No. 3\/2001 on the use of public roads.<\/p>\n
Truck drivers had repeatedly complained about the levy, and
\nhundreds of angry truck drivers vandalized 16 collection booths
\nacross town on Monday.<\/p>\n
"The administration only thinks about revenue and they have
\nturned a blind eye toward people's suffering," Marwan, 34, one of
\nthe protesting truck drivers, said.<\/p>\n
A truck driver had to pass several collection booths in a day,
\nand each time he was charged between Rp 2,500 and Rp 7,500.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Tangerang Police chief of detectives Insp. Chandra
\nSukma Kumara said the police had yet to receive any complaints
\nfrom the agency in connection with the vandalism.<\/p>\n
However, Chandra did not blame the drivers.<\/p>\n
"It's understandable if truck drivers become angry and run
\namok. Can you imagine, they must pay between Rp 2,500 and Rp
\n7,500 at each booth they pass. How much money can they bring home
\nto their families?" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, the head of the municipal Land Transportation
\nand Infrastructure Subagency, Ato Nuryanto, said the agency had
\ncollected Rp 239.1 million out of the Rp 1.5 billion estimated to
\nbe collected until December this year.<\/p>\n
He said that the drivers had severely damaged 11 of the 16
\ncollection booths in town, and destroyed one of the agency's
\nminivans. They also mobbed two officers, he said, adding that one
\nof the officers had lost his cellular phone and Rp 650,000 in
\ncash during the incident.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tangerang-halts-illegal-levies-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}