Train passengers say security must be improved<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Last Friday's murder aboard a Parahyangan
\nexpress train has raised doubts about security on the country's
\ntrain system.<\/p>\n
Contacted separately on Monday, several regular train
\npassengers, particularly those who often travel in the
\nnonexecutive cabins, said robberies, sexual harassment and other
\ncrimes had become common on trains.<\/p>\n
In the past few years, complaints from passengers about stolen
\nitems, including cameras, laptops and cell phones, have soared.<\/p>\n
Passengers can only file complaints with state railway firm PT
\nKereta Api Indonesia (KAI), which has held the monopoly in
\noperating trains in the country for quite some time, with little
\nhope of ever recovering their belongings.<\/p>\n
Tedi, a frequent passenger on the Jabotabek train plying the
\nBogor-Jakarta route, voiced displeasure with PT KAI's failure to
\nmaintain security.<\/p>\n
\"My pocket was picked earlier this year just days after my
\nbrother experienced a similar nightmare on the same train,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Erlinda Marlinda, another regular passenger on the train,
\nsaid: \"I think train passengers should secure themselves as much
\nas they can and not rely on others due to the poor security.<\/p>\n
\"It is nonsense waiting for the authorities to solve a
\nproblem.\"<\/p>\n
She said she has witnessed numerous crimes on trains and has
\nnever seen PT KAI employees take action to protect the
\npassengers.<\/p>\n
\"I don't see any effort on the part of the railway company to
\nremedy the problems. That's why I was not surprised when I heard
\nthat a woman was killed on a train,\" Erlinda said.<\/p>\n
Febriana Farida, 22, was stabbed to death on Friday onboard
\nthe Parahyangan express train traveling from Jakarta to Bandung.
\nThe motive behind the killing remains unknown and may never be
\nuncovered, because the man who allegedly killed Farida was beaten
\nto death by a mob following the incident.<\/p>\n
Indra Wijaya, a regular Parahyangan passenger, said PT KAI
\nshould learn from the tragic incident and improve security on the
\ntrains.<\/p>\n
\"The company should have identified the crime trends on
\ntrains .... Criminals, for example, steal passengers' belongings
\nseconds before the trains stop at a railway station, when the
\nengineer has decreased the speed of the train,\" Indra said.<\/p>\n
The victims, he added, were usually those standing near the
\nexits.<\/p>\n
Another regular passenger on the Parahyangan train, Grace
\nEmilia, shared Indra's concerns. She said she was always worried
\nwhen the train reached a station.<\/p>\n
\"There are too many porters struggling for customers and the
\nauthorities do nothing to put them in order,\" Emilia said.<\/p>\n
In response to the complaints, the spokesman for PT KAI's
\nJakarta operational area, Zainal Abidin, admitted the company
\nfaced numerous difficulties in providing security aboard trains.<\/p>\n
\"Crime has escalated everywhere, not only on trains. It's a
\nsocial problem which should be solved by all elements of society.
\nPT KAI alone does not have enough power to handle the problem,\"
\nZainal said.<\/p>\n
One of the main problems faced by PT KAI in dealing with
\ncriminals is a lack of security personnel, he said.<\/p>\n
According to Zainal, his Jakarta office has 100 Polsuska
\n(special train police) personnel and 100 officers from the
\nJakarta Police who are responsible for security inside the
\ntrains.<\/p>\n
His said his office also hired 167 private security guards to
\nmaintain security in railway stations in the capital and the
\nsurrounding area.<\/p>\n
Some of the personnel, he added, are attired in civilian
\nclothes.<\/p>\n
\"We still need more personnel as we're responsible for 400
\ntrains and 90 railway stations throughout our area, which
\nincludes the West Java areas of Cikampek, Merak and Sukabumi,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said that after the murder aboard the train, the company
\nhad instructed all station chiefs to tighten security by
\nimproving their coordination with local police.<\/p>\n
\"It is impossible for us to add more security personnel due to
\nour limited budget,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Zainal said PT KAI was prioritizing security onboard trains at
\nlocations known for criminal activity.<\/p>\n
\"So far, our security guards are only allowed to be armed with
\nsticks,\" he added.(ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/train-passengers-say-security-must-be-improved-1447893297",
"image": ""
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