City cuts sticker price but commuters may not benefit
City cuts sticker price but commuters may not benefit
JAKARTA (JP): City administration will cut the one-day Rp
5,000 traffic sticker to Rp 2,500 in response to mounting
protests against a plan to implement the sticker system in lieu
of the current three-in-one traffic regulation, an official said.
The deputy governor for administrative affairs, Abdul Kahfi,
said over the weekend that the Rp 2,500 sticker would be valid
only for a half day.
He said motorists intending to enter the restricted area along
Jl. Jend. Sudirman and Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta, in the
afternoon would be required to buy another sticker at Rp 2,500.
He said the monthly sticker price would remain at Rp 80,000.
"The reduction of the tariff is made mainly in response to the
people's objections," he said.
Kahfi said the administration has never considered the
people's objections as insignificant.
The sticker system, which the President has endorsed in
principle, has been the target of stinging criticism from many
quarters since news about the plan was mentioned in the media
earlier this year.
The plan requires vehicles to bear stickers when entering Jl.
M.H. Thamrin and Jl. Jend. Sudirman from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on work days.
City Council announced last month it would invite comments
regarding the highly controversial traffic sticker system and the
administration for input before it seals the plan with a bylaw.
Kahfi said the administration has received the council's
invitation but refused to say when it would be put into effect.
"We welcome the dialog, where, with this chance, we will try
to be more communicative. We'll inform people as clearly as
possible and also listen to their comments," he said.
A source said yesterday that the meeting would be held over
two days, starting today.
Those to be invited include a special team on the sticker
system led by Kahfi; observers, such as law expert Yusril Ihza
Mahendra and chairman of the Indonesian Transportation Society
Suyono Dikun, and two non-governmental organizations: Lintas
Informal dan Pengkajian and Swadaya Exponen 66.
Two other NGOs, which continuously criticize the plan, the
Indonesian Consumers Foundation and the Jakarta Legal Aid
Institute (LBH Jakarta) were not invited, the source said.
LBH Jakarta's director, Apong Herlina, said this showed the
council was not willing to hold discussions with parties that are
highly critical of the plan. (ind)