Haj dormitory's parking rate criticized

JAKARTA (JP): Many residents have complained about the high level of parking charges at the Pondok Gede haj dormitory in East Jakarta.

"They are charging Rp 3,000 each time we want to park our car, while the official rate set by the administration is Rp 1,000," one of the complainants, Udin, a resident of Pondok Kopi in East Jakarta, said.

He added that the charge was initially printed on the parking tickets as being Rp 2,000, but that those in charge of parking had changed it to Rp 3,000.

Strangely, the Cooperative of Haj Dormitory Employees, which organizes the parking service at the dormitory, claimed it had no knowledge about the matter.

"I've just found out about it from you," Asnan, the cooperative's secretary, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

He said they were collaborating with a private company, namely PT Agung Pribadi, in managing the parking service during this year's haj season.

"We've given the company the authority to set the level of parking charges," he said, adding that the agreement stated that the company should adhere to the relevant city bylaw when setting the parking rates.

He said his cooperative had only received Rp 40 million from the private company in payment for leasing the land during the haj season which runs from Jan. 25 until April 11.

He said he was thankful for the information about the high parking charges and promised to resolve the matter and reevaluate parking management for the years ahead.

Contacted separately, the City Parking Agency said that neither the cooperative nor the private company had ever consulted the agency on parking services in the area.

"It was definitely a violation of the City Bylaw on parking rates," Sukri Bey, the agency's deputy chief, said.

According to Sukri, the complex was categorized as a public facility, so the tariff should be Rp 1,000 for each parking period.

"I'm going to send a warning letter to the company and urge it to comply with the rates stipulated in the bylaw," he said.

Meanwhile, director of PT Agung Pribadi Alex Syam Pribadi said he had sent a letter to the City Parking Agency informing it of his company's activities at the haj dormitory. But he felt there was no need to consult with the agency on the management of parking services as he thought that this was only necessary in the case of on-street parking.

"I haven't gained greatly by setting the parking charges at their current levels. In fact, I've only earned Rp 3 million since Jan. 25 and am still using money from my own savings to pay the parking attendants," he told the Post. (04)