Activist protest fare hike

Activist protest fare hike

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Dozens of activists and bus users met with Jakarta city
councillors on Thursday to demand they reject a 27 percent bus
fare increase proposed by Governor Sutiyoso.

"The current fares are too high compared to the services
provided, therefore we reject the fare increase proposal,"
Association of Public Transportation Users spokesman Andi Rahmah
said during the meeting at City Hall.

Other participants at the meeting included members of the
Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) and members of the Bus Drivers
Association.

Bus driver spokesman Bambang said the fare increase would not
benefit the drivers as he feared bus rental fees would also
increase.

Sutiyoso's proposal was in response to Public Transportation
Operators Association (Organda) demands for a 50 percent
increase.

On Wednesday the Council returned the proposal to Sutiyoso for
discussions with related parties, namely operators, consumers
organizations and other related parties.

The Indonesian Consumers Protection Organization (YLKI) said
that Organda should demand the government give them funding from
the cut in oil subsidies, instead of increasing fares. --JP