JP/3/PARKING/12pt Metroblack

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)