Driver demo paralyzes Padang

Driver demo paralyzes Padang

PADANG, West Java: Thousands of workers and students trying to
get to Padang, the capital of West Sumatra, were left stranded on
Thursday when public transportation drivers went on strike.

The drivers called the strike to protest the mushrooming
number of unofficial terminals on the city's outskirts.

Many workers and students were forced to walk to their offices
and schools in the city.

The drivers held demonstrations in front of the provincial
legislature building and the governor's office, promising to
continue their strike unless the authorities shut down the
unofficial terminals that were cutting into their income.

"All buses and other public transportation vehicles should be
obliged to enter only the terminal in the city, where they should
pick up their passengers," Eri, a driver, said.

Almost all public transportation vehicles, including intercity
buses, have been reluctant to enter the terminal since it moved
to the city's outskirts.

The head of the local transportation office, ANS Bukhari, said
his office had no authority to prevent the drivers from striking,
and would cooperate with the land transportation agency to phase
out all unofficial terminals around the city. --JP