Substitute for 3-wheeled vehicles needed

Substitute for 3-wheeled vehicles needed

JAKARTA (JP): City Councilors are supporting the city
administration's plan to phase out three-wheeled vehicles -- bemo
and bajaj -- in Jakarta though, at the same time, they caution
about the need for the municipality to prepare substitutes.

Soegijo, a member of the Golkar faction, said on Monday, "I
agree with the plan but it is important to determine the
replacements soon to avoid what happened when the city
administration eliminated becak (pedicabs) several years ago."

The city government banned the operation of becak in
residential areas on the grounds that the pedicabs were
"inhumane".

The administration offered no substitute and the subsequent
disappearance of becak has led to motorcycle taxis, popularly
known as ojek, which are now operated illegally all around the
city.

Soegijo thus reiterated the importance of finding vehicles to
replace bajaj and bemo.

The city administration is planning to gradually phase out all
three-wheel public vehicles in Jakarta, claiming that they are no
longer suitable for transporting passengers in the city.

Romulus, a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party faction,
agrees that the plan to eliminate bemo and bajaj should occur in
stages.

"It will be better if the city administration implements the
plan naturally by refusing to extend their licenses," Sihombing
said.

"However, the city administration has been inconsistent with
its own plans and continues to issue new licenses," he said.

Head of the City Traffic and Land Transportation Agency JP
Sepang pointed out that bajaj and bemo are no longer included on
the city's public transportation vehicle list.

At present there are a total of 1,096 bemos officially
registered at Sepang's office. Another 750 bemos operate without
licenses.

Meanwhile, Saud Rachman, a member of the United Development
Party faction, urged the city administration to speed up the
issuance of new route permits for four-wheeled public vehicles to
anticipate the elimination of bajaj and bemo.

"I know that the city administration intends to issue new
route permits and I think it will be better if the related office
implements the plan as soon as possible," Rachman said. (yns)