City to test 250 kancil

JAKARTA: The city administration will test around 250 locally- made kancil to replace the old Indian-made bajaj (motorized pedicab).

Head of the Jakarta Economic Administration Office, Sukri Bey, said on Wednesday that Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo had signed a letter to approve the test. The letter was a response to a letter submitted by PT Karunia Abadi Niaga Citra Indah Lestari, the producer of kancil, on April 1, in which the company asked an operation permit for its 400 vehicles.

The kancil would replace bajaj, which have long been blamed for causing pollution and noise, so that no new permits would be issued, Sukri was quoted by KompasCyberMedia.

To date, there are around 14,000 bajaj operating in the city's streets, mostly in residential areas. --JP