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)