Illegal parking attendants welcome administration's plan
Illegal parking attendants welcome administration's plan
JAKARTA (JP): The City administration's plan to have private
companies manage street parking is apparently welcomed by the
illegal, self-appointed street parking attendants controlling
many of the city's parking zones, on condition that revenues are
distributed fairly.
As earlier reported, the administration initiated negotiations
with private partners to help manage a total of 517 street
parking zones, covering almost 128,000 square meters of parking
space in the capital.
The city parking agency has only been able to control 344 out
of the 517 street parking zones, leaving the other 173 spots to
be dominated by self-appointed managers, some of them members of
criminal gangs.
Four private companies, PT Adiwara Sembada, PT Mega Nusantara
Masagena, PT Rodial Indonesia and PT Sumber Batu have been
nominated to become the administration's partners in the
lucrative business.
The form of cooperation is, however, still unclear, and the
administration's program for the illegal parking attendants is
also being questioned.
Deny, a 49-year-old Tangerang resident, has no problem giving
up a 20-meter segment of roadside in the notorious area of Tanah
Abang, in Central Jakarta, to the official management.
He said he was now "authorized" to manage a small part of at
least 50 illegal street parking lots in the Tanah Abang business
district.
"The problem is there are eight people who survive on the
parking business here. Will the private parking operator be able
to share with them fairly?" he questioned on Saturday.
He said he earned between Rp 30,000 and Rp 40,000 daily,
operating from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. "I could have collected more
than that, but I have never charged motorists more than the
official tariff. Moreover, I have to share the money with my
three colleagues," he said, adding that he had already spent five
years in the business.
The usual street parking fee is Rp 1,000 for a car.
Deny, whose arms are both covered with tattoos, admitted to
being a member of a local gang.
He said that his gang controlled the parking area alternately
with another gang. "My gang operates on Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday, while Monday, Wednesday and Friday belong to another
gang."
The father of three said he supports his family with the money
earned from the parking business. "Come to my home, you will be
distressed to see my family's condition," he said. "I would give
up if I had a better job."
"I hope that the private parking operator will offer a better
life to all of us," he whispered.
The 35-year-old Sutrisno, who works at a 25-meter long segment
of roadside at the Rawa Bening market, known as the Jatinegara
precious stone market, said that he and his gang members would
welcome the private parking operators "as long as they would play
fairly by sharing revenues".
Sutrisno's location is very lucrative as it is surrounded by
the Jatinegara railway station, restaurants and prostitution
districts.
"This area never sleeps. Business runs 24 hours, nonstop. We
have divided the operating hours into three shifts. My gang's
shift is between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m," he said, watching the
surrounding parked cars.
He said he could earn Rp 40,000 to Rp 50,000 every day, but he
had to give between Rp 8,000 and Rp 10,000 to his boss and shared
the rest of the money with five other attendants.
He said his boss, a Madurese man, had just "bought" the
parking spot from the previous owner for Rp 8 million.
Sutrisno, accompanied by his five gang members during the
interview, said he had never charged specific rates to car
owners. "It's just up to them. They give us Rp 5,000 or 10,000
when they are pleased, but sometimes we only receive Rp 500."
He claimed that many car owners don't object to illegal
parking. They just want their vehicles to be well protected.
For Jakarta motorists, the most notorious street parking areas
include Jl. Matraman in East Jakarta, Jl. Tanah Abang Dalam in
Central Jakarta, as well as those in the Senen and Sawah Besar
areas in Central Jakarta, and Pancoran Glodok and Roxy business
areas in West Jakarta.
Criminal law expert at the University of Indonesia Harkristuti
Harkrisnowo said that the private parking operators would face
difficulties unless they approached the situation sensibly and
recruit the gangs.
"Therefore, the city administration, who wants to back off
from the complicated business, must prepare things carefully,
including the use of security officers," she warned. (01)