Military, police to anticipate bus strike

Military, police to anticipate bus strike

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso has asked the military and the
police to ready their buses for transporting passengers, in case
bus operators act on their threat to go on strike next week.

Organda, the Organization of Land Transportation Owners, has
threatened to stop their public bus services early next week if
its proposal to increase bus fares is not approved by the city
administration.

Previously, Organda had proposed a fare hike of 50 percent,
then revised it to 35 percent. However, the administration would
only approve a hike of 27 percent.

"I hope the City Council can act as a mediator to settle our
differences regarding the fare hike," Sutiyoso told reporters
after a meeting with city officials and Organda on Friday.

According to the governor, the city's 27 percent fare hike
plan could be revised upward, but he did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, city police chief Ins. Gen. Makbul Padmanegara
confirmed that the governor had asked the military and the police
to provide their own buses for commuters, in case Organda went on
strike.

"But I think they should resolve their differences without
harming public interests," he told the press after the meeting.
-- JP