Free parking at public facilities suggested
Free parking at public facilities suggested
JAKARTA (JP): City Council's Commission D for public works,
development and environmental affairs called on Secure Parking
service providers on Monday not to collect fees from building
tenants and visitors as none of the operators had contributed to
city revenue.
Councilor Saud Rahman of the United Development Party (PPP)
faction said parking services at offices, shopping centers and
hotels were certainly part of the buildings' services and should
be provided free of charge.
"Providing parking facilities in a building is the building
owner's obligation, which is a prerequisite to obtain a building
permit," he said at a meeting with a parking service provider,
PT. Securindo Packatama Indonesia (SPI).
Councilor Ali Imran Husein of PPP also questioned the high
parking fees set by the Secure Parking operators.
"It is clearly stated in a decree that the highest parking fee
is Rp 1,000/hour, and that the operator should pay a contribution
of between 10 and 35 percent to the city administration," Ali
said, while citing Gubernatorial Decree No. 1698/1999 on parking
fees in areas not on the street.
Residents have long complained about expensive parking fees
set by Secure Parking operators.
Fees vary from Rp 1,000 an hour to as high as Rp 2,500 an
hour, such as those charged at Menara Imperium on Jl. Rasuna Said
in Kuningan, South Jakarta, and the Jakarta Stock Exchange
building on Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta.
Commission D chairman Sayogo Hendrosubroto of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) questioned the
relevance of setting high parking fees with the operators'
failure to contribute to the city administration.
Meanwhile, councilor Tjuk Sudono of the National Mandate Party
(PAN) faction questioned the parties who were responsible for
setting the fees.
SPI president director Rustam Rahmat said the authority to
establish parking fees lied with the building owners.
"We have nothing to do with the price of parking fees. We only
manage services for them, like providing the machine, human
resources, design and other technical stuff," he said.
He defended the policy on zero contribution to city revenue by
referring to Law No.18/1997 on city tax and income contributions,
which stipulates that there is no obligation for Secure Parking
operators to contribute to the city administration.
Rustam acknowledged that his company got between 5 and 15
percent from building owners for managing the parking at 51
locations in the city.
Rustam said he would discuss the decree with the building
owners.
The meeting was adjourned until further notice. (09)