Replacement of 'bemo' begins

JAKARTA (JP): Forty-seven minivans were launched at a ceremony in East Jakarta yesterday by the chief of the Land Transportation and Traffic Control Agency, JP Sepang.

The ceremony marked the first wave of new vehicles which will replace three-wheeled bemos.

The Suzuki, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi minivans have permits to serve five routes in North, West, and East Jakarta.

Thirty-six minivans will serve the Pasar Embrio-Tanjung Priok terminal route in North Jakarta and six will serve the route from Tanjung-Priok to Pasar Pagi in Mangga Dua, West Jakarta.

The remaining five will serve the Rawamangun terminal-Kayu Manis route in East Jakarta.

The new minivans are part of a policy to phase out bemos, which have operated since 1961.

Irzal Z. Djamal, the head of the team in charge of phasing out bemos, said out of 1,096 registered bemos in the city, owned by 717 people, 733 had been earmarked for replacement.

However, owners are still complaining. Sepang urged bemo owners to speak up if they had any doubts about the policy.

Owners have said the replacement is unfair. The latest complaint was that they have to pay Rp 24 million (US$10,200) for the minivans which have a market price of Rp 18 million. Distributors said the minivans were more expensive but included public transport permit fees. (anr)