Anies States Resolution of Transportation Issues Can Reduce Cost of Living

Malang, East Java (ANTARA) — Former DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has stated that resolving transportation problems in urban areas can reduce the cost of living for society.

During a Plano Discussion at the Samantha Krida Building of Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java, on Tuesday, Anies said that households on average allocate 30 per cent of their expenditure for private transportation needs, and this figure could fall to as low as 7 per cent if they used public transport.

“Transportation expenses can reach 30 per cent of household spending, but if using public transport it could drop to 7 per cent. That is extraordinary savings,” said Anies.

According to Anies, local leaders in each city must make transportation a priority issue so it can be resolved quickly. Well-equipped public transportation will attract people to switch from using private vehicles.

However, the opposite would occur if transportation needs are not met, causing people’s routines to become inefficient. At that point, people suffer losses in terms of fuel expenditure for their vehicles. The resulting consequence is air and environmental pollution, as pollution increases due to vehicle emissions accumulating at a single point over time.

The provision of transportation access, he emphasised, is an obligation of local government as it concerns fulfilling the rights of the community. “Because this is the provision of facilities. Massive urbanisation is happening now and cannot be avoided; we will have more than three-quarters of the population in urban areas,” he said.