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