Pasar Jaya in deep water over parking rate hike

Pasar Jaya in deep water over parking rate hike

JAKARTA (JP): The municipality is investigating PD Pasar Jaya,
the city-owned market management company, for raising parking
fees without the governor's approval, a senior official said.

Chief of the city's inspectorate office Bambang Sungkono said
that he established a special team yesterday and the
investigation was underway.

"We cannot say anything about the issue until the team
completes its fact-finding mission," Bambang said when reporters
asked him what action he had taken against the company's
controversial policy.

Bambang refused to provide details about the team which would
question the company's chairman, Albert Napitupulu, who issued
the disputed decree.

The parking policy was introduced at 21 major markets under
the company's supervision on April 1.

Under the policy, motorists are charged Rp 1,000 for a stay of
two hours or less. Increases of Rp 200 to Rp 500 are charged for
subsequent hours. Previously, a one hour stay cost Rp 500.

For motorcycles, the tariff increased from Rp 200 for one hour
to Rp 500 for two hours or less. The fee for subsequent hours
increased from Rp 100 to Rp 200.

Pasar Jaya spokesman Lihardin Sipayung said Thursday the
increase in parking fees was designed to boost the company's
income and allow it to meet new statutory value-added tax
obligations in 1998.

City councilors had demanded that the company scrap the policy
because it was introduced without the governor's approval.

Deputy Governor of Financial Affairs Harun Al Rasyid said that
he had yet to receive an official report.

When asked whether the administration would take action
against the company chairman, Harun said: "I will first ask him
to send me a detailed written report and will study it further
because I know about the case from newspaper reports.

"Only them will I determine if the chairman has done something
wrong and deserves to be punished."

Vice chairman of the city parking body Bubung Burhana said
that Pasar Jaya had never consulted his office about the
increase.

"Maybe they (the company's management) considered the case to
be an internal matter and they did not feel obliged to consult
us," he said.

More calls to scrap the Pasar Jaya decree continued streaming
in yesterday.

Chairman of the Jakarta branch of Golkar Tadjus Sobirin said
that Pasar Jaya should be held responsible for the money they had
collected for one month.

"The policy is illegal," he said. "The PD Pasar Jaya chairman
should know that increasing parking fees should be done (in
accordance) with standard procedures and not any way he likes.

"I insist that the chairman scrap his decree."

Head of the Indonesian Democratic Party faction at the City
Council Lukman Mokoginta questioned the authority of the company
chairman to issue such a decree.

"He (Napitupulu) has abused his power. He has no authority to
increase the parking fees."

Lukman said that the inspectorate office should investigate
not only the new policy's legal basis but also examine the funds
which have been collected.

"Pasar Jaya can be categorized as having collected funds
illegally."

The city regional economic bureau, which oversees Pasar Jaya,
should ask Napitupulu to withdraw the decree, he said. (ind)