Proposa on bus fare hike opposed

Proposa on bus fare hike opposed

JAKARTA (JP): An official of the Jakarta office of the transportation ministry and a member of the City Council have reacted strongly against a proposal from the Organization of Land Transportation Businessmen that city bus fares be raised.

Chief of the Jakarta office of the transportation ministry A. Karim TJ. told reporters yesterday that the fare raise would only further burden poor people.

"I don't think it is proper to increase the fares because a raise would cause many people to suffer," Karim said.

Head of the Jakarta Chapter of the All Indonesian Workers Union, Salam Sumangat, likewise objected to the proposal. Salam is also a member of the City Council.

"I don't think it is appropriate to increase the fare because it will only disadvantage public transportation users. Therefore I call on the governor not to approve the proposal," Salam said.

He said workers would be the ones to suffer under the proposal and efforts to improve their social welfare by raising the minimum wage would be rendered ineffective.

Salam explained that the government was raising the minimum wage to meet the minimum physical requirements of workers. If the governor approved an increase in bus fares the goal would not be achieved.

"The increase in minimum wages would not change anything if fares were raised because most workers are using public transportation to go to work," he added.

The chairman of the transportation businessmen's organization, Aip Sjaifuddin, told reporters on Wednesday that his group would propose that bus fares be raised to Governor Surjadi Soedirdja.

He said the fare on regular buses should be increased from Rp 250 (11 U.S. cents) to Rp 500, Patas buses (quick, limited service) from Rp 550 to Rp 900 and air conditioned buses from Rp 1,300 to Rp 1,750.

Aip said transportation companies need the raise because the current fare does not cover their operating costs.

"The price of spare parts and gas have increased, so the current fare is out of date," Aip said.

He stated that last year his organization proposed that the fare be raised, but the government rejected it. "This time I hope the government will approve the proposal," Aip added.

Karim argued that the organization should look for other ways of covering its operating costs, such as asking the government for a subsidy.

Citing an example, he said the organization could ask the government to reduce the tax rate or import duty on spare parts.

Karim said the organization should have discussed its proposal of a fare increase with the transportation department of the workers union before putting it to the governor.(yns)