YLKI balks at plan to hike toll road fees<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI)
\nexpressed strong objection on Thursday to the government's plan
\nto raise tolls on several tollways in the country, including the
\nJagorawi toll road.<\/p>\n
YLKI chairwoman Indah Suksmaningsih said the increase would
\nnot only affect car owners but also passengers of public buses
\nbecause public transportation drivers would \"illegally\" increase
\ntheir fares.<\/p>\n
\"The plan reflects that the government has no sense at all of
\nthe economic crisis,\" she said in a statement.<\/p>\n
According to Indah, the government's reason that current tolls
\ncould no longer cover the soaring operational costs of tollways
\ncould not be accepted since tollway operators never publicly
\nannounce their earnings.<\/p>\n
YLKI also regretted the House of Representatives' decision to
\napprove the plan to raise tolls without involving the public, she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"The plan should be postponed until people recover from the
\ncrippling and prolonged economic crisis,\" Indah said.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, House Commission IV for public works and
\ntransportation approved the government's plan to raise road
\ntolls.<\/p>\n
\"We approved the plan after seeing the condition of toll road
\noperators. We were not forced by any party to do so,\" commission
\nhead Burhanuddin Napitupulu said after a hearing with Minister of
\nPublic Works Rachmadi Bambang Sumadhijo.<\/p>\n
Burhanuddin said the House supported the plan mainly based on
\nrecent visits they made to several toll roads and the offices of
\ntoll road operators across the country.<\/p>\n
The House members, he argued, found that toll road operators,
\nincluding PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada, a company controlled
\nby former president Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti
\n\"Tutut\" Rukmana, were finding it difficult to cover maintenance
\ncosts of the roads due to the increasing price of construction
\nmaterials.<\/p>\n
He said the House also approved the plan since tolls had not
\nbeen raised since 1992.<\/p>\n
Minister Rachmadi said the government was still calculating
\ndetails of the toll hike, including those for the Jakarta-Merak
\nand the Jagorawi toll roads. (jun)<\/p>",
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