Hamzah's convoy takes over busway lane

No vehicles other than the designated buses are allowed in the busway lane -- unless, of course, your name is Hamzah Haz.

On Monday morning a convoy of vehicles including the one in which Hamzah was riding, were seen cruising down the special lane, past all the unfortunate motorists caught in bumper-to- bumper Monday morning traffic along Jl. M. Thamrin near Sarinah department store. Hamzah's spokesman Yudo Bambang Satrio told detik.com that it was the police who directed the convoy into the busway lane.

However, he quickly added that it was an emergency. "Jl. Thamrin was congested. His convoy passed a police officer who directed the convoy into the busway lane. What's all the fuss about?"

The Vice President had just left a function in the Senayan area of Central Jakarta and was in apparently in a hurry to attend a meeting with the Indonesian Ulema's Council at his office, Yudo said.

"So (entering the busway lane) was the initiative of the local police, it was not the request of the Vice President. And it (the convoy) didn't take so much space, after a few hundred meters the convoy was out of the lane again," Yudo added.

He said the convoy was comprised of the Mercedez-Benz transporting Hamzah, the vehicle of Jakarta police and two others with presidential guards in them.

The introduction of the busway system has left only two "fast" lanes for private vehicles. There are additional plans to add even more space for an express busway bus.

The busway system, with its exclusive lane, was introduced to Jakartans on Jan. 15. -- JP