Bus owners protest delay in fares hike
Bus owners protest delay in fares hike
JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Public Land Transportation
Owners (Organda) said it would mobilize its drivers for a street
demonstration if the city's administration failed to promptly
decide on a hike in bus fares.
Organda's chairman, Aip Saifuddin, said on Tuesday that the
drivers would stage a protest at the City Council to express
their demand if Governor Sutiyoso failed to respond to the
matter.
"We sent a letter to the city administration about the matter
yesterday (Monday). If we cannot get a reply in three days, we
will ask our members to come to the council for a protest," Aip
said.
He said Organda regretted Sutiyoso's statement late last month
that the city administration had decided to delay the fares hike
until the completion of the General Assembly of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR).
Members of the 700-seat Assembly will meet some time in
November to elect a new president and vice president and to
endorse the five-yearly State Policy Guidelines (GBHN).
Dian Soegiarto, an executive from Kopaja minibus firm,
confirmed the planned demonstration at the city council.
"We have informed the city police about the planned
demonstration, to be held some time next week," he said.
Sutiyoso's latest statement contradicted his first
announcement early last month that the fares hike would come into
effect in the first week of August.
The city administration announced last week that Organda, City
Land Transportation Agency and the Indonesian Consumers
Organization (YLKI) had agreed on a new bus fare structure.
The proposal includes an increase in regular bus fare from Rp
300 (4 US cents) to Rp 500, an increase on non-airconditioned and
limited bus (PATAS) fare from Rp 700 to Rp 900.
The fare for minibuses will be increased to Rp 700 from Rp 500
and for air-conditioned PATAS buses from Rp 2,300 to Rp 2,500.
Meanwhile, special student fare for regular buses will be
increased to Rp 200 from Rp 100.
YLKI, however, denied last month that it had agreed to the new
fare structure. (jun)