Haryanto angry about poor service

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto made an impromptu inspection of Pasar Senen railway station at 11 p.m. Tuesday evening and found no station employees there to serve the waiting passengers.

Haryanto ordered an aide to call executives of the state railway firm (Perumka) and the staff that should have been on duty at that time to get to their posts immediately.

While waiting for the arrival of the undisciplined staff, Haryanto criticized the poor attitude of the civil servants to a Jakarta Post photographer, the only journalist present.

Dozens of passengers were lying on the station floor after finding the ticket counters were closed even though Perumka had earlier announced that they would be open that day until 5 a.m. in line with the one-day 70-percent discount program.

When the staff arrived, Haryanto said: "How could you people close the ticket counters when you announced they would be open until five (a.m.)?"

The staff remained silent but slowly opened the counters and served about 150 passengers heading to East and Central Jakarta.

Haryanto finally left station at 2 a.m. yesterday. (bsr/leo)