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)