PT KAI loses Rp 48m for soocer fans

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

State railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has suffered a loss of more than Rp 48 million (US$4,752) for providing free transportation for East Java-bound soccer fans.

The company waived the fare for some 1,800 supporters of Surabaya's Persebaya soccer team for their return to the East Java capital after the Liga Mandiri national soccer league's semifinal match last Thursday. Persebaya lost 1-2 to Jakarta's Persija in the match.

"We had no choice but to serve them. As a public transportation company, we have to suffer such a loss again," Gatot Wibowo, the company's chief of public relations said in Bandung on Wednesday.

Gatot said that the loss was based on the price of a single economy class ticket from Jakarta to Surabaya, which is Rp 27,000.

The amount, he said, did not include the damage done to the Argo Muria executive class train. The Argo Muria train, serving the Jakarta-Semarang route, was stoned at Tegal railway station, Central Java, by Persebaya supporters on their way home

"They stoned the Argo Muria because we rejected their demand for meals," he added.

PT KAI always suffers losses from the supporters' behavior when the Indonesian Soccer Association holds its annual national soccer league competition.

As a state transportation company, Gatot said, PT KAI was faced with a social duty in providing the economy class service.

"But this kind of free service has to be stopped, because it is counterproductive to our efforts to make a profit," he said.

He called on the soccer association and the league match committee to be more anticipative when holding soccer matches, especially in dealing with supporters. He suggested that the committee seek sponsors who would pay transportation costs for supporters.