Governor OKs lower bus fare rise, delays implementation

JAKARTA (JP): Delaying the bus fare increase, City Governor Sutiyoso said on Sunday that he would abide by the decision of the City Council that approved a maximum increase of 30 percent.

The governor, who earlier promised to announce the bus fare increase on Sunday, said that he would act in line with the council's decision and likely announce the bus fare increase on Tuesday, as demanded by the council.

"They (the council) represent the people. So, let's follow their decision on the fares as long as it is appropriate. It doesn't matter," he was quoted by Antara as saying after launching the drive to free Jakarta from leaded gasoline.

The City Council issued a recommendation to the city administration on Saturday to increase bus fares in the city by a maximum of 30 percent, effective on Tuesday.

Based on the council's recommendation, the fare for regular buses would be raised to Rp 650 from Rp 500, fare for medium- sized buses like Kopaja and Metromini would be increased to Rp 800 from Rp 700 and for air-conditioned buses to Rp 3,000 from Rp 2,500.

The city administration had earlier proposed that bus fares be increased by between 30 percent and 60 percent.

Council Chairman Edy Waluyo said the council's decision to cut the city administration-proposed bus fares showed its sympathy towards the people, especially the poor, during the present difficult times.

In addition, the central government plans to provide subsidies to bus operators following its decision to raise fuel prices in the middle of June, he said.

The council's deputy chairman Jafar Badjeber said the decision to impose the new fares on July 3 was aimed at giving an opportunity to bus operators to make preparations for the new fares.

Meanwhile, the chairman of Jakarta Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda), Aip Syaifuddin, expressed dissatisfaction with the new fares because the rates proposed by Organda had been already been slashed by the governor before the council's further reduction.

City bus operators through Organda had previously proposed bus fare increases of up to 100 percent, which according to Aip was still smaller than the rises in their costs.

The council's Commission D chairman Sayogo Hendro responded to Organda's complaint by appealing for understanding on the part of bus operators because the revised fares were not so different from those proposed by the governor.

Bus operators and drivers had earlier threatened to stage a massive strike in the city if the city administration did not increase bus fares or increased them only marginally.

Asked about the rumored bus drivers' strike threat, Sutiyoso said that his administration had cooperated with the institutions concern, including the police and the military, to prepare for any strike.

"About the strike, it would be dealt with by the city administration through the making available of our vehicles for transporting commuters," he said.