Many stranded as Bogor, Jakarta drivers strike

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta and Bogor public transportation passengers became victims of yet more strikes yesterday, as thousands were forced to walk long distances.

The strike was mostly caused by additional buses and too many fleets plying similar routes, drivers and a bus owner said.

In Bogor, all 13 routes went on strike following yesterday's protest by 300 Sukasari-Merdeka route drivers.

Drivers said they were forced to strike by others. At least two vehicles had their windows smashed, but it could not be confirmed whether drivers were directly involved. A strike was also reported in Pasar Kemis, Tangerang.

Eman, a driver who was trying to work, said, "I haven't collected any money today. How can I help my wife and kids survive?"

Some drivers resumed work by late afternoon.

Other drivers complained to the Bogor township about too many legal and illegal minivans operating in the city.

In South and East Jakarta, hundreds of M16 minivans plying the Pasar Minggu-Kampung Melayu route and drivers of M02 minivans plying the Pulogadung-Kampung Melayu route entered their second day of strikes.

Drivers of M01 vans plying the Kampung Melayu-Senen route and drivers of M31 minivans along the Pondok Kelapa-Kampung Melayu route also went on strike.

In West Jakarta, people waited in vain along streets for Grogol-Joglo Metromini buses, whose drivers were protesting new buses operated by the Koperasi Wahana Kalpika cooperative passing their route.

Hundreds of passengers, including students and employees, were seen waiting on Jl. Dewi Sartika and Jl. Otista in East Jakarta.

City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday police had deployed at least 20 covered trucks to pick up passengers for the Pasar Minggu-Kampung Melayu route.

The Kampung Melayu terminal was full of anxious passengers.

Around 200 drivers and dozens of minivans were seen gathered on Jl. Kalibata, South Jakarta. Drivers then demonstrated in front of the City Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ) in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.

Banners

Among banners displayed, one read, "We will continue to strike until new permits for new vehicles are revoked."

Saragih, a M16 van driver, said he and his fellow friends were ready for a month-long strike until their demands were met.

Hundreds of drivers had complained to the House of Representatives on Monday, but apparently had not been given promising solutions.

At the Senen bus terminal, passengers searched for means to their destinations, since M01 drivers joined the strike.

Hundreds of passengers were also seen waiting for Metromini buses plying the 24-kilometer Grogol-Joglo route, since drivers entered their second day of a strike.

Drivers complained to the West Jakarta mayoralty about new B17 buses run by the Wahana Kalpika cooperative, plying the new Citraland-Kreo route.

An employee at the West Jakarta Land Transportation Agency said the new route had gained approval from the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda).

The B17 buses had earlier sparked a strike among drivers plying routes to Kebayoran Lama, Tanah Abang and Kebon Jeruk areas.

Chief of DLLAJ, J.P. Sepang, said the agency has not issued permits for new routes for the past two years. But the result of new vehicles being added was because "the limited number of vehicles for each route has not been covered (in the permits)".

However, he said, if the agency decided that the number of vehicles for one particular route was enough, new vehicles would not be added.

He said he had ordered all DLLAJ offices to review which routes were overcrowded.

On the possibility of owners operating old vehicles while they had obtained permits for new ones, Sepang said permits would be revoked if the agency found out such practices.

Aritonang said there might be other parties taking advantage of the strikes.

"Drivers' complaints regarding overcrowded routes might be true. But their brutal actions by destroying other drivers' vehicles who do not strike is shocking," he said.

He said at least five drivers were questioned at West Jakarta Police precinct during the strikes.

Chairwoman Tini Hadad from the Indonesian Consumer Association said DLLAJ and Organda should cooperate and settle the problem once and for all.

Tini said both parties should also talk to drivers and find out what the real problems were. She suggested rerouting all crowded routes to relatively empty ones.

The City Development Planning Board is presently conducting a study on public transportation with researchers of the Bandung Institute of Technology. (jun/cst/10/12/24/ste)