Toll road fee hike will burden public
Toll road fee hike will burden public
From Media Indonesia
As reported in the media, the government intends to raise the toll road fees, especially for particular sections, such as Jagorawi (which should actually be exempted from the toll) and Cikampek. The plan has come as a great surprise and sparked debate in the community. The Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI) would like to comment as follows:
1. The plan does not show that the government has a sense of crisis. If the tolls are raised, the impact will be felt not only by public transportation companies and car owners, but also consumers in general. An increase in the tolls may be used by public transportation companies to justify illegally raising their fares.
2. The reason given, that the present tolls are not high enough to cover operational costs, defies common sense. In fact, the funds collected by toll road managing companies have never been transparently accounted (through publication in the media, for example). In line with Law No. 8/1999 on consumer protection, consumers reserve the right to obtain information. Therefore, toll road managing companies and the government have violated the consumer right to information because they have never publicly made a transparent account about how much money has been acquired from the operation of toll roads and how the money has been spent.
3. YLKI also regrets the attitude shown by Commission IV of the House of Representatives, which simply approved the plan without first involving consumers. As people's representatives, legislators should prioritize the public's aspirations. In this case, YLKI questions the independence of Commission IV.
4. Article 2 of Law No. 13/1980, concerning the social function of roads, on roads stresses that roads play a significant role in economic, political, sociocultural and defense and security aspects and must be used for the maximum benefit of the people.
On the basis of the above, YLKI urges that the plan to raise tolls, although only for certain segments of the toll roads, should be postponed until the burden of the people has gradually lessened. An increase in the tolls will only contribute to a high-cost economy, exacerbating the burden of the people already squeezed by the crisis.
INDAH SUKSMANINGSIH
YLKI chairwoman