Organda complains about payoffs

JAKARTA: Indonesia's Land Transportation Owners Association (Organda) complained on Friday about various payments demanded by regional administrations across the country, saying they had added greater burdens and been passed on to the consumer.

In a meeting with President Megawati on Friday, Organda chairman G.T Soerbakti said certain fees had been mushrooming since implementation of regional autonomy in 2000, forcing the companies to increase their fares for buses.

"These extra payments make it very difficult for us to compete with air transportation providers who have offered cheap prices for passengers," Soerbakti said after the meeting.

He said Megawati expressed some concern about the large number of regional bylaws that needed revision for overburdening the business community.

"We hope the President will pay attention to our financial difficulties resulting from these fees," Soerbakti said. -- JP