Organda asks for security to be limited at terminals

Organda asks for security to be limited at terminals

JAKARTA (JP): To curb the practice of collecting illegal
levies and to provide reasonably priced bus tickets to Idul Fitri
travelers, the city authority should first limit the number of
security forces deployed at bus terminals, an executive of the
Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) said.

Head of the organization in Jakarta, Aip Saifuddin, said on
Monday that the presence of soldiers, who were originally
assigned to protect holidaymakers from scalpers and pickpockets,
only caused extra problems for terminal operators, bus operators
and passengers.

For many years, he said, members of the teams, which are
assigned to secure bus terminals against bad elements, have asked
for money from the heads of bus terminals as payment for their
services. Teams comprise soldiers, police, scouts, Red Cross
personnel and officers from the City Land Transportation Agency
(DLLAJ).

"The terminal heads then direct them to bus owners, who in
turn ask the bus drivers to settle the problem," Aip said.

"Bus drivers of course don't have the money, so the cost is
then passed onto the passengers by way of a hike in fares," he
said.

The illegal levies prepared for a security team could reach as
much as Rp 20,000 a bus, Aip said during a meeting on Idul Fitri
preparations with city councilors on Monday.

Data from the DLLAJ office says that the city's 13 main
terminals will serve 6,949 buses for Idul Fitri travelers this
year.

DLLAJ said it would deploy at least 362 personnel, while the
police would assign 662 officers at city terminals.

Aip suggested that should the city authority fail to reduce
the number of security personnel, a separate budget could be set
for them by the government.

Tini Hadad of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI)
shared Aip's idea.

"Security forces are human. They will not stand for hours in
the scorching sun and rain every day without some kind of
payment.

"The government therefore should set a separate budget for
them," Tini said.

During the meeting, city councilors demanded the government
cut the officially sanctioned 35 percent hike in peak season bus
fares to 25 percent.

Head of Commission D for development affairs Ali Wongso Sinaga
and commission secretary Saud Rahman said the government should
review a Ministry of Communications decree issued on Dec. 24
which approved the 35 percent surcharge, saying it would only
burden travelers.

The councilors asked the government to instead cap the peak
season fare increases at last year's rate of 25 percent more.
(ylt/ind)