Support rolls in for decision to let pedicabs return

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) welcomed yesterday Governor Sutiyoso's decision to allow becak (pedicabs) to operate again within the city.

One of the foundation's executives, Zumrotin K. Susilo, said the decision to allow pedicabs to operate is in line with people's aspirations.

"The decision shows the fact," Zumrotin said in a statement.

She said the foundation fully supported the decision, which was effective as of Wednesday, because it would open new job opportunities, especially for people who have been dismissed from their jobs.

She urged jobless people to take advantage of the opportunity.

The foundation also supported the decision because the pedicab is an environmentally friendly vehicle and saves energy since it does not use gasoline, she said.

"Pedicabs also do not make noise," she said.

Zumrotin agreed with the governor's suggestion to restrict the operation of the pedicabs to housing complexes and small roads to avoid traffic jams and accidents. "Pedicabs will cause serious problems if they are allowed to operate on main roads."

Sutiyoso's decision to allow the operation of pedicabs in the city's streets was announced Wednesday. It brought to an end a 10-ban on their presence within the city.

The decision was taken by the administration in an attempt to provide easy and inexpensive transportation for commuters and to provide job opportunities for many people, the governor said.

He, however, reminded all pedicab drivers that the revocation of the ban against their presence in the city was only temporary.

The ban would be reinstated after the country's economy recovered, the governor said.

Zumrotin said that after the recovery of the country's economy the ban should be enforced again in persuasive and human ways.

A growing fleet of pedicabs has reportedly been operating in several suburban areas, such as Jembatan Dua, Jembatan Lima and Cengkareng in West Jakarta, Bintaro in South Jakarta and Kalimalang in East Jakarta.

Pedicabs were last prohibited in the city in 1988 based on a city ordinance which stated that the man-powered vehicle was not a transportation system.

The ban was first introduced in 1972 by the city administration because many saw the job as inhumane. (jun)