File class action against toll rises, YLKI urges

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) is urging the public to file a class action against the government's plan to raise toll road fees by an average 15 percent in August.

YLKI managing director Tulus Abadi said on Sunday that traffic jams have become common features along toll roads, depriving consumers of travel convenience that such roads are supposed to offer.

"Motorists use toll roads to get benefit from them," Tulus said, adding that current traffic conditions along toll roads were far from ideal.

"Consumers may file a class action (against the planned rises) so that toll road operators can learn lesson from it," Tulus told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

The government is considering raising tolls by an average of 15 percent in August.

The plan, however, has met strong resistance from the public at large who are irritated by daily traffic jams along toll roads in the capital.

The House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission VI called on the government on Sunday to delay its plan to raise tolls pending an evaluation on service standards and safety for toll road users.

Daily traffic jams and increased crime along the toll roads were just few examples of the poor service offered by the government and operators, they said.

"So, it is not the right time for the government to raise tolls and we urge the government to delay the plan," Azwar Anas of the National Awakening faction was quoted by Antara as saying on Sunday.

Muhayyan Hasan of the Golkar faction also opposed the planned increase until the government made a thorough evaluation of toll roads throughout the country.

"Tolls may be raised but only after a thorough evaluation of the toll roads," he said.

Tulus said toll road operators apparently just took money from motorists without fulfilling their obligations to them.

Arianti Dwi Kandini, who lives in Cibubur, disagreed with the government's plan to increase tolls.

"I spend at least Rp 14,000 a day to reach my work passing Kp. Rambutan-Veteran toll roads from Monday to Friday, and it's hard," said Ari, who is a dentist.

She said that she was also wondering why private motorists had to pay more money than public transportation drivers when they used the inner-city toll road in the capital.

"If I use the inner city toll, I have to pay Rp 4,000. But how come those public transportations drivers only pay Rp 3,000? It means their burden is on us, right?" she complained.

Tulus said that the government should review all factors in relation to toll road conditions as well as toll road operators' services such as repairing the roads and making sure that customers got their money's worth.

The House also expected that the government would soon announce the establishment of the Toll Road Management Body, which will be responsible for reviewing toll road operator's activities in serving the public. (004)