Dasco: Finalisation of online motorcycle taxi regulation scheduled for 18 August

Jakarta - Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) Sufmi Dasco Ahmad has stated that discussions on the draft presidential regulation concerning online motorcycle taxis (ojol) require one more meeting for finalisation with the government. Dasco said at the parliament complex in Jakarta on Friday that the meeting is scheduled to take place at the DPR on Tuesday, 18 August, inviting relevant ministries. “There is still one more finalisation on how the government calculates transport that carries people and goods. It is almost there. So, on 18 August there will be another meeting at the DPR. We are inviting the relevant ministries to present the final version,” he said. According to Dasco, the meeting is necessary to ensure the regulatory formulation does not lead to differing interpretations in its implementation. “As a supervisory body, we want to ensure that this product does not create further dynamics,” he said. Prior to finalisation, the DPR also plans to invite online motorcycle taxi application providers to obtain input regarding the draft regulation. Previously, Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi said the draft presidential regulation focuses on two-wheeled vehicle services for transporting people and goods. “The focus of the regulation is on the delivery of people and goods. Two-wheelers, yes,” said Dudy. According to him, the government is finalising the norms in the draft presidential regulation to avoid differing interpretations, including regarding goods and document delivery services. Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi previously also stated that the draft regulation would classify online motorcycle taxi drivers under the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) category. Minister of MSMEs Maman Abdurrahman said this status is expected to provide flexibility for ojol drivers while opening access to a number of policies and incentives for MSMEs. Maman also denied information that ojol drivers would automatically be taxed after being categorised as MSMEs. “I want to straighten out if there are stories saying that ojol will be taxed, this and that, I am clarifying, no. So, that is 100 percent a hoax issue,” he said.