Council agrees to increase in public transportation fares

Council agrees to increase in public transportation fares

JAKARTA (JP): The city council approved on Thursday the
proposal for a hike in public bus fares, but declined to settle
on the amount of the increase.

After leading a two-hour meeting, Speaker Edy Waluyo said the
council decided to allow the city administration to determine the
increase with the hope that the new fare would not burden the
public.

"The council doesn't want to interfere with the city
administration's authority and duties. The point is that the
council will approve the hike as long as it doesn't put any
additional strain on residents," Edy told reporters.

"We'll leave it up to Governor Sutiyoso to decide the new
fares because it's his authority," he added, citing the Minister
of Communications Decree No.38/1999, which stipulates that a
provincial governor has the authority to set transportation
fares.

The council's decision came two days faster than was scheduled
by the councillors, who, since last Friday, met to discuss the
proposals filed by the city administration and the local chapter
of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda).

The administration had proposed fare hikes to the council
since July of last year. The administration wanted the regular
bus fare to increase from Rp 300 to Rp 500 (6 U.S. cents), Rp 500
to Rp 700 for minibuses, and Rp 2,300 to Rp 2,500 for Patas air-
conditioned (AC) express buses and Rp 100 from Rp 200 for
students.

Organda submitted a higher proposal of Rp 1,000 for regular
buses, Rp 1,200 for minibuses, Rp 3,250 for Patas AC and Rp 500
for students.

Edy said that with the new fares all bus companies should
improve their safety, security and service for passengers.

Sutiyoso said he submitted the proposal to the council in an
attempt to ask for the councillors' consideration.

"I do have the authority to implement the new fares but I
wanted to ask for the city councillors' consideration before
making it official," he told reporters.

Prior to the meeting, which started at 3 p.m., councillors
received dozens of students who came to protest the planned
increase to the student bus fare.

Grouped in the Muhammadiyah Youths Association, some 50
university and high school students called the new fare proposal
from Organda "unrealistic" and would only "burden the public,
particularly those in the lower wage bracket".

Unfurling banners and placards, they demanded the government
dismiss Organda, maintain the current student fare of Rp 100,
provide more school buses, and order the bus crew to treat the
students the same as other paying passengers.

"Since students only pay Rp 100, many buses refuse to carry
us," said the group's chairman, May Hendrik Sikumbang, a student
at Muhammadiyah University.

"Or if they do, they charge us Rp 500," he added.

The students, most in their high school uniforms, met the
councillors from Commission D for public works, development and
environmental affairs.

The commission's deputy chairman, Saud Rahman of the United
Development Party (PPP) faction, promised the students that his
commission would take their demands seriously.

"We do not want to listen to Organda, we want to listen to
people," the councillor said.

Hayatullah, a senior student at Muhammadiyah Technical High
School in North Jakarta, said the hike would severely burden his
father, who is does not have permanent employment.

"I often pay my school fees late," he said.

"My allowance is only Rp 1,000 a day with Rp 200 for bus fare.
If that increases, I only have Rp 600 left. What can I buy with
that?" he said.

A group of 10 students from the School of Transportation
Management at Trisakti University came to the council's office to
discuss similar concerns.

"Public transportation is not an isolated business. It affects
all of society since a majority of Jakarta's residents depend on
it," said the president of the student council, Pandji Aryo
Damar.

The Trisakti students then suggested the city administration
give subsidies to bus owners to set up a fare based on the
distance, to eliminate any expenses outside operational costs,
fire corrupt city employees and to eliminate the import tax for
spare parts which will be used for public buses. (nvn/09)