Operators up parking fees without approval

Operators up parking fees without approval

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A number of private parking operators in Jakarta increased
their parking rates at some sites by up to 100 percent on Monday,
without the approval of either the city administration or
council.

Councillors and city officials said on Tuesday that the
increase was illegal because it had not been officially approved.

Jonner Napitupulu, the general manager of building operations
at Plaza Indonesia, told The Jakarta Post that the decision to
increase rates was taken because the city imposed a 20 percent
tax on off-street parking, effective as of Monday.

He said that in recent years the management had to reduce the
parking operations deficit, which amounted to Rp 1 billion
(approximately US$120,500) each year, out of its own operations
budget.

The deficit, he said, occurred due to utility price hikes over
the years, and because the city administration had fixed the
rates at no more than Rp 1,000 per hour.

"To take the 20 percent tax out of the Rp 1,000 is out of the
question, therefore we have no choice but to increase the rates,"
he said, adding the increase was a joint decision between the
management and the building's parking operator, PT Secure
Parking.

According to Bylaw No.6/2002, the tax should be paid by
motorists, and operators must therefore charge motorists an extra
Rp 200, he said.

"Charging motorists Rp 1,200 per hour will slow down our
service because we have to provide small change, which definitely
will cause congestion at our exit gateway. Therefore, we are
rounding off the figures to Rp 1,500 for the sake of
practicality," he said.

Most motorists complained about the increases, saying the
rates were too high and not on a par with the service given.

"I have to pay more, but it is still difficult to find a
parking space and there is no guarantee that something will not
happen to my car," said Felicia, an executive at a multinational
company, as she parked her car at Plaza Indonesia on Monday
evening.

Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) spokesman Daryatmo told
the Post that increasing the parking rates should be followed by
providing a better service to consumers.

The administration must make it official that operators should
be responsible for anything that happens to a car in their area,
he said.