New buses presented for APEC

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto yesterday presented 105 buses to be used by delegates of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, participants of the APEC Ladies' Program and to carry the delegations' luggage.

Most of the fleets of Mercedes-Benz buses, owned by the state- owned PPD and DAMRI bus companies and the private PT Hiba Utama firm, were initially used during the Tenth Non-Aligned Movement Summit two years ago.

Some, however, were newly imported less than six months ago.

Some of the air-conditioned PPD buses used for the APEC delegates were taken from fleets regularly used for Jakarta's public transportation system.

Haryanto said to fill the vacuum, PT Mayasari has been asked to deploy more buses in Jakarta for the duration of the APEC meetings.

"This is not an easy task because great discipline and responsibility are needed... You will be serving the country's honorable guests and some of the world's most important people," he told the drivers and other operational personnel during the presentation.

"We will be the focus of the world's attention during these few days so we must give a good image...So (the delegates) also have a positive impression of Indonesia," he added. (pwn)