Bus crews protest frequent attacks

BANDUNG: About 300 people working on buses operating along the northern coastal road of West Java rallied at the provincial council building on Jl. Diponegoro on Monday to protest frequent violence against them during their trips.

The group demanded that the police protect them because mobs had burned at least four buses in the past two months.

"Police must protect us from those angry mobs," Ahmad, a driver, said. The bus crews were accompanied by bus owners and chairman of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda).

Councillor Ali Hasan, however, reminded the bus crews to be careful when driving as locals had become upset about the frequent traffic accidents caused by reckless driving.

The northern coastal road, called Pantura, is known as a dangerous route as many traffic accidents take place there. (25/edt)