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