Parking fee hike decision condemned by policy observer

JAKARTA (JP): A city policy observer criticized the city administration for imposing a parking fee increase on Thursday.

Ali Wongso Sinaga, executive director of the Regional Empowerment Study Center -- a city policy analysis body consisting of several former city councillors -- said the administration would not need to increase the fee if the parking management was in order.

"It's no longer a secret that the city's parking problems are due to poor management. It's also widely known that in several areas the lots are managed illegally and that the revenues do not go directly to the city administration," he said.

Ali, a former Golkar councillor, said without increasing the fee the administration could still contribute more than Rp 16 billion (US$2.2 million) to the city's revenue.

He was referring to data compiled in 1999 by the city parking agency stating that there were 164,000 street parking spaces under the agency's auspices, while the number of private cars was estimated at two million.

"So it is unbelievable that the 2000/20001 fiscal year city budget has only estimated a total Rp 16 billion in revenues from public parking," he said.

The administration will initiate an increase in parking fees beginning on Thursday. There are two different rates -- Rp 500 or Rp 1,000 per vehicle, depending on the location and its parking density.

City spokesman Muhayat said earlier that Governor Sutiyoso would only pass the new system if the parking agency improved its management and infrastructures.

In areas like on Jl. Senen Raya in Central Jakarta and Jatinegara in East Jakarta, parking business has been handled by local residents who have sometimes acted like "hoodlums" and who have not submitted the collected fees to the city administration.

"I have managed parking here since the 1970s, probably even before the parking agency existed.

"I don't think the administration could take over the management that easily because there are 10 of my staff who rely on parking for their livelihood," said Doni, a "boss" of illegal parking attendants on Jl. Senen Raya.

A similar comment was made by Suhardo, another "boss" in the Jatinegara area.

"What's the difference between us and those from the administration. I think parts of the income from the legal parking attendants also do not go to the administration," he stated.

Both Doni and Suhardo refused to reveal their daily income.

Surprisingly, such "illegal" parking management has also been organized by the city-owned market management company PD Pasar Jaya, which authorized several private companies to manage parking activities at several city owned markets, like at Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta and Jatinegara market in East Jakarta.

Some employees said the companies only collect money and do not provide the parking infrastructures themselves.

"Parking attendants and infrastructures are provided by PD Pasar Jaya. We only manage money collection at entrance gates," said Ria, employee of PT Jaya Mandiri, which managed money collection at Jatinegara market.

There was no guarantee that cars would get parking space after paying the parking fee.

"It will be managed by parking attendants from PD Pasar Jaya," Ria said, adding that daily revenue from her parking post was about Rp 800,000. There were four posts at the market.

Similar conditions could be found at Tanah Abang market where parking was managed by PT Laksana Aneka Sarana. A company employee named Glenn said there were eight parking posts with each bringing in an income somewhere between Rp 600,000 and Rp 1 million a day.

Officials from both PD Pasar Jaya and the parking agencies refused to comment on the matter. (ind)