Govt must bail out bus firm: Iedil

Govt must bail out bus firm: Iedil

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto
has been urged to help improve the management of state-owned bus
company PPD in a bid to increase the firm's profitability.

H. Iedil Suryadi, a member of the House of Representatives,
was quoted by Antara on Thursday as saying that the minister
should act now as the company continues to suffer losses.

"The minister has to directly interfere in the management to
ensure improvement as no one seems to pay attention to the
company's increasingly complicated problems," Iedil, of
Commission V for transportation and public works, said.

The company's management needs to be carefully scrutinized
and, if necessary, stern action should be taken against those
found guilty of misconduct, he said.

"If private companies can gain profits, why can't PPD when the
requirements are about the same?"

As a state-owned company, PPD should be managed professionally
so it becomes a role model for other private companies, he said.

Iedil expressed concern about the many complaints from the
public about PPD's poor service, including the poor condition of
its bus fleet. (hhr)