JP/3/PARKING/12pt Metroblack

City gov't criticized over parking

JAKARTA (JP): The City Council has blasted the Parking Management Bureau for its poor handling of parking in the city.

"During my seven years as a councilor the condition of the city's parking system has not improved. The old problems still remain," Helmy A.R. Syihab, chairman of the Council's Commission C on finance, said on Thursday during a hearing with bureau officials.

Helmy then described some of the looming problems. Cars still park on roads with no-parking and even no-stopping signs, which often causes traffic jams, and parking attendants often charge more than the legal parking fees. "And after all, we still don't feel secure leaving our cars unattended," he said.

Touching on the root of the problem, Helmy noted that money often circulates among parking attendants.

"If fees is paid by parking cards which could be obtained at public places such as gas stations or department stores, a number of the problems might be solved," Helmy stated, adding that the card system has proven effective in Singapore.

Praising Helmy for his positive input, Deputy Chairman of the Agency Omar Silalahi noted that the parking bureau long ago introduced a ticket system, but the problem remains that many drivers are reluctant to ask for tickets from the attendants.

Referring to illegitimate parking attendants as disclosed by Helmy, Silalahi said they are mostly illegal.

"We cannot remove them because they are simple street thugs who won't go away. But it doesn't mean we haven't tried to do so. Thus, instead of eliminating them, we have tried to educate them and if possible, legalize them," Silalahi said.

Pessimistic

According to the Head of the Parking Agency Sumaryono, last fiscal year's parking levies amounted to Rp 8.7 billion (US$4.1 million), or 8.5 percent below the target.

It is said this downfall was caused by low parking fees of only Rp 300 for the first hour and Rp 100 for every additional hour. Private parking firms, on the other hand, charge at least Rp 500 for the first hour.

Sumaryono said he was pessimistic about reaching this fiscal year's target of Rp 14.6 billion if the parking fees should remain at their present levels.

Besides, a number of private and state institutions are reluctant to send in 25 percent of their earnings from parking, as stipulated by city regulations.

According to informed sources at City Hall, at least six institutions have not fulfilled their obligation to send the targeted amount of money to the parking bureau.

These are Ancol Dreamland, the city-owned PD Pasar Jaya, the Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural center, the City Police headquarters, the Ragunan zoo and the Beautiful Indonesian Parks in Miniature.

Silalahi told The Jakarta Post that according to a gubernatorial decree, the first three institutions have not paid their duties since 1987. And Ancol Dreamland is at least Rp 2.4 billion in arrears. (11)