Media chided over sticker reports

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso accused the media yesterday of "unbalanced reporting" which has led to the public rejection of the planned traffic sticker system.

He said media reports on the controversial plan -- aimed at easing traffic congestion on Jl. Jend. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin -- had focused people's attention on the negative aspects and ignored the advantages.

"The media exposed only the negative side of the plan."

He said people were opposed to the sticker system because media reports had not provided a balanced view of the plan.

"I think the plan has been prematurely exposed to the public, while the media has exploited the plan's weaknesses."

The administration has been severely criticized over the system since the media began reporting on the plan earlier this year.

The system will require vehicles to bear stickers when entering Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 5 p.m to 7 p.m.

The administration announced Friday that the price of a sticker would likely be set at Rp 2,500 for a morning or evening entry.

The administration had intended to charge Rp 5,000 for a one- day entry sticker but then changed the scheme to a half-day pass with a 50 percent cut in price in response to mounting criticism, including from the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI).

YLKI conducted a poll and issued a questionnaire on its web site and via its mailing list last week to canvas public opinion.

The questionnaires were distributed to people whose workplaces are located along the two major thoroughfares affected by the system.

YLKI's deputy director Agus Pambagio told The Jakarta Post last night that his office was still processing the responses. The results are scheduled to be presented at a meeting with representatives of the municipality and City Council today.

"So far, the calculation shows that less than 10 people out of around 1,000 respondents support the sticker plan," Agus said.

YLKI's polling was rebuked yesterday by Sutiyoso who claimed that it did not in any way represent the opinions of all Jakartans.

He said that people would only react negatively toward the system because they were not aware of all its benefits.

"Even though they (YLKI) have not revealed the results, I already know that they will find that people object to the plan."

However, Sutiyoso said that YLKI was welcomed to present its findings before the City Council and administration officials in a meeting slated for tomorrow.

Meeting

Several experts, administration officials, city councilors and representatives from two private organizations -- Lintas Informasi dan Pengkajian and the Swadaya Eksponen '66 -- met behind closed doors yesterday to discuss the sticker plan.

I. Latumanten from Lintas said he supported the system.

"If the main goal is to provide a better transportation service then it deserves support," he said. "But the administration should make sure that its application is well supervised."

A former head of the Jakarta chapter of City Development Planning Board, Ery Chayaridipura, said it was not possible to cancel the plan because it had been approved by the President.

"As good citizens, how could we reject the decree. As it has been decided, we have to apply it," Ery, who is a member of the House of Representatives, said.

Separately, head of the United Development Party faction in the City Council, H.A. Suaidy, said that his faction still urged the administration to postpone its plan to try out the sticker system in August.

He also urged the administration to invite more parties, including all non-government organizations, to its meeting on the planned sticker system. (ind/cst)