Sutiyoso casts doubt on Kancil

JAKARTA: City Governor Sutiyoso has cast doubt on the ability of the manufacturer of the four-wheeled Kancil to produce a small vehicle to replace the current three-wheeled Bajaj.

"The Bajaj is no longer feasible for the city. But I still doubt the Kancil producer's ability," Sutiyoso stated at City Hall on Thursday.

Besides doubting the ability, he refused to attend the launch of the Kancil on Wednesday as it had not yet been registered as a public transportation vehicle.

The city administration had planned to withdraw the Bajaj, which currently totals 20,000 vehicles, because the vehicle produced noise and air pollution. Three-wheeled vehicles were officially excluded from the city's public transportation system.

But Bajaj owners have rejected the Kancil, as the latter, with a selling price of Rp 30 million, is considered too expensive compared with the Bajaj, which is only Rp 15 million per vehicle.--JP