Bike taxi drivers attack bus terminal

JAKARTA (JP): As of Sunday evening, North Jakarta Police had not made any arrests in connection with an attack by some 100 bicycle taxi (ojek sepeda) drivers at the Tanjung Priok bus terminal.

"We have not arrested anybody ... we just spoke to a few people. They have promised not to create any more trouble," North Jakarta Police chief of operational control Maj. Bayu said.

Bayu was discussing the Sunday morning attack at the Tanjung Priok bus terminal, which followed a verbal altercation between a bicycle taxi driver and an official of the Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ).

Bayu said a bicycle taxi driver, identified as Kopral, was kicked out of the terminal on Saturday evening by a DLLAJ official, who was identified as Murdik.

Murdik told Kopral he was no longer allowed to work in the terminal.

"This happened at about 7 p.m. on Saturday. The two men got into a verbal fight, but other DLLAJ officials intervened and asked the two to settle their problem peacefully. Everything was fine until Sunday morning," Bayu said.

Some 100 bicycle taxi drivers arrived at the terminal at about 1 a.m. and threw stones at the DLLAJ office, kiosks and food stalls.

"They also burned one Honda motorcycle at the scene," Bayu said.

Police secured the area an hour after the incident. The amount of losses caused in the attack have not yet been determined. (ylt)