Council calls for lower tax, duties

Council calls for lower tax, duties

JAKARTA (JP): City council will soon submit a proposal to
scrap tax and import duties on spare parts for public buses
during a meeting scheduled next week with members of the House of
Representatives (DPR), a councilor said on Wednesday.

"The ailing public transportation industry urgently needs
help. It has become crucial to either eliminate, or at least
substantially cut the tax and import duties for spare parts," Ali
Wongso, head of the council's Commission D for development
affairs, said.

In a letter dated July 30 to DPR Commission IV for
transportation, Council Speaker Edy Waluyo also suggested the
House members to invite representatives from the National
Development Planning Board, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of
Transportation and Ministry of Trade and Industry to the meeting,
Ali said.

DLLAJ deputy head Dimmy Kirbrandiman reminded that owners of
bus companies had already expressed fears of closing down
business by at least December this year should the central
government fail to intervene or if the local authorities -- under
public pressure -- decided to temporarily not hike fares. (ylt)