'Bajaj' owners say 'kancil' vehicles too expensive

JAKARTA (JP): Bajaj (three-wheeled motorized vehicles) owners lodged an official complaint with the city government on Monday over the high installment payments on the four-wheeled kancil, which are to replace the bajaj.

The chairman of the Bajaj Transportation Owners Association, Tarjono, said the daily installment fee of Rp 40,000 (US$3.60) for the kancil was too high compared to the daily rental fee for a bajaj, which is Rp 30,000.

"If we have to pay Rp 40,000 how can we survive?" he said after meeting with the producer of the kancil and Governor Sutiyoso at City Hall.

A kancil costs about Rp 30 million, and with a daily installment of Rp 40,000 can be paid off in three years.

The producer of the kancil will buy bajaj for Rp 7.5 million each, or half the price of a new vehicle.

"We hope the city administration will postpone the plan to replace bajaj with kancil until we agree on the price," said Tarjono, who owns 50 bajaj.

Another bajaj owner, Damanhuri, was of the same opinion, adding that he preferred bajaj, which looked "stronger" than kancil.

He said the body of the kancil was made from fiberglass and would be difficult and expensive to repair compared to the iron- plated body of the bajaj.

"Many spare parts for the kancil are imported while bajaj spare parts are easy to get and can be carried on a motorcycle," said Damanhuri, who owns 50 bajaj in East Jakarta.

He said the kancil's 400 cc engine, which is located under the backseat, would be uncomfortable for passengers. The bajaj's engine is located under the frontseat.

Damanhuri also said the city administration's plan to use gas to fuel kancil would cause problems because the city lacked stations that sell gas.

Meanwhile, the marketing director for kancil producer PT Kurnia Abadi Niaga Citra Indah Lestari, Kresna D. Abednego, said he was certain bajaj owners would be able to afford kancil.

"We are still negotiating the price, but we have made sure the price is not too high for bajaj owners," Kresna said on Monday.

He claimed 90 percent of the kancil's spare parts were made locally, while the remaining 10 percent, including the engine, were imported from Japan.

During Monday's closed-door meeting, Sutiyoso insisted that the replacement program would not begin before bajaj owners and the kancil producer had reached an agreement on the price.

"It would be better to cancel the program if bajaj owners are going to suffer losses. I hope the owners will benefit or at least enjoy similar incomes," Sutiyoso was quoted as saying by city spokesman Muhayat.

The government said earlier the kancil were expected to hit the streets within three months.

At least 20,000 bajaj currently operate in the city, but only 14,000 are registered. (jun)