'Fare hike should be obeyed'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso urged bus operators not to increase fares above 12 percent during the holiday season.

The administration would take stern action on any violations, he said Thursday.

The increase was decided by the House and the director general of land transportation during a hearing on Wednesday.

Sutiyoso said the City Transportation Agency should not hesitate to revoke permits of bus operators found to have increased fares more than 12 percent.

Sutiyoso said the city had prepared 6,813 buses, 66 trains and 31 ships to handle Idul Fitri holidaymakers who, last year, numbered nearly 2.6 million people.

However, the decision to set the 12 percent increase would likely be ignored as bus operators objected to the regulation.

Land Transportation Owners Association representative TR Pandjaitan demanded an increase of 35 percent.

He also complained that hoodlums and police officers often took illegal levies from bus drivers during the Muslim festivities. He said that an intercity bus driver had to spend about Rp 20,000 per trip.