Finance Minister Purbaya and Sultan HB X Tour Alkid in Electric Pedicabs
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa paid a visit to Yogyakarta yesterday. After having lunch together, Purbaya and the Governor of DIY, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono (HB) X, tried out the electric tourist pedicabs (Bekalista) around the southern square (Alkid) of the Keraton Jogja.
Treated to Mutton Gulai
During his visit to Jogja on Thursday (16/7), one of Purbaya’s agenda items was lunch with the Governor of DIY, Sri Sultan HB X, at Bale Kenya in the Kepatihan Complex, Jogja city.
“(The agenda was) lunch — it was really delicious,” said Purbaya at the Kepatihan Complex on Thursday (16/7/2026).
“We had mutton gulai. Mutton, yes, gulai — mutton gulai, or whatever it was, really tasty. There was also chicken, steak and this other dish. Delicious, right? Come along next time, just join in,” he added.
Inaugurating Electric Pedicabs
Purbaya, walking alongside the Sultan, then left the Kepatihan Complex aboard the Jogja city tourist shuttle, Si Thole, heading to Sasana Hinggil Dwi Abad at the southern square of the Keraton Jogja.
There, Purbaya and the Sultan attended the Bekalista Ecosystem Handover ceremony and the opening of the UMi People’s Market 2026.
Riding Pedicabs Around Alkid
At the event, Purbaya and Sultan HB X tried out the newly inaugurated Bekalista. Each rode a pedicab around the southern square (Alkid) of the Keraton Jogja. Purbaya obliged residents’ requests for photographs several times and occasionally waved to the crowds.
Bekalista are electric pedicabs produced by PT LBI, PT YPTI, the MNI cooperative and several vocational schools (SMK) in Jogja. A total of 80 Bekalista financed by the Finance Ministry were symbolically handed over to Malioboro pedicab drivers, with 15 pedicabs presented during the ceremony as a token.
“The development involved 100 per cent local Yogyakarta manpower, from fabrication and assembly to electrical work and the teaching factory within vocational education institutions,” said Purbaya in his remarks at the Bekalista handover ceremony on Thursday (16/7).
“For tourists, a pedicab ride may only last 10 to 20 minutes. But for a pedicab driver, it can mean money for groceries, school fees and enough to meet the family’s needs,” he continued.
The event also marked the inauguration of the Bekalista ecosystem, comprising 12 charging stations, one mobile workshop, eight spare batteries and the main workshop at SMK Negeri 3 Jogja.
“I entrust this to you: the charging stations must truly stay lit, be easy to use and be well maintained,” Purbaya urged.
“To the regional government, the Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, Kemenkeu 1, PIP, Himbara, SMF, the channeling institutions, SMK Negeri 3 Yogyakarta, the cooperatives, Jogja Kita and all our partners, I convey my gratitude for this cooperation,” he continued.
Sultan HB X Explains
The Governor of DIY, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, said the launch of the Bekalista was not merely about introducing a new vehicle, but about bringing together three important interests: preserving cultural identity, honouring traditional transport workers and building more environmentally friendly mobility.
“The pedicab has long been part of the face of Yogyakarta. It features in residents’ journeys, tourists’ experiences and the economic pulse of the people of Jogja. However, preserving the pedicab does not mean preserving the exhaustion of its drivers,” the Sultan said.
“Tradition must receive the support of technology so that it stays alive, remains useful and provides a more decent living for the people who safeguard it,” the Sultan added.