Rp 3 billion allocated to remove 'becak'

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration introduced on Friday a new approach in its ambitious campaign to establish a becak (pedicab)-free Jakarta.

Head of the city's public order office Hadi Utomo said the city administration would allocate funds of between Rp 2 billion (US$285,715) and Rp 3 billion to clear becak from the streets.

"The money will be used to buy the becak from their owners," Hadi said after meeting Deputy Governor for administrative affairs Abdul Kahfi to discuss the pedicab-free zone.

"Each becak will be bought at between Rp 200,000 and Rp 250,000, according to their physical condition."

Governor Sutiyoso announced on Thursday a 100-day public order program, which included the removal of all becak from the city.

In May, Sutiyoso upheld a 1988 bylaw that prohibited becak from operating in the city, saying at the time that Jakarta was a pedicab-free area.

Sutiyoso permitted last year the presence of pedicab drivers in the city due to the prolonged economic crisis.

Since then the number of pedicabs has increased significantly. Sutiyoso then revoked the statement, ordering city public order officials to conduct raids against pedicab drivers.

Hadi said the pedicabs might be dumped in the waters of Pulau Seribu marine resort to create artificial reefs. The move would be similar to a campaign conducted in the early 1990s when the city launched a becak-free campaign. At the time, the city administration also dumped the pedicabs.

The official said pedicab drivers and owners would soon be required to register their pedicabs at the city's five mayoralties. "Appointed officials at the five mayoralties will estimate the price of their pedicabs."

Asked whether the administration could offer higher prices for the pedicabs, Hadi said the city administration would only pay a maximum price of Rp 250,000 per pedicab.

He said that in addition to offering to buy the pedicabs, the drivers would also be given tickets to return to their hometowns in West and Central Java.

The public order office would begin conducting raids against becak drivers after the 100-day public order program ended, he said.

"We'll conduct becak raids if the drivers and owners refuse to sell them to us," he said, without elaborating on the date for the commencement of the raids.

At least 6,621 pedicabs are currently operating on the capital's streets. Approximately 95 percent of the drivers are non-Jakarta residents.

The owners may reject the administration's offer because many of them say they bought their pedicabs for between Rp 400,000 and Rp 500,000.

Sutiyoso's decisive move to restore public order in the city, including becak clearance, has won the support of President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Abdurrahman said last week that the ban on becak operating in the city was a measure to eradicate poverty.

The City Council also supported on Wednesday the administration's plan to uphold Bylaw No 11/1988 on Public Order, which bans becak from operating on the streets. (jun)