Traffic sticker policy

Traffic sticker policy

From Media Indonesia

In the midst of the present monetary crisis, I could not help
but laugh when I read in the mass media a statement made by a
government official to the effect that the target of the sale of
Rp 5,000 (62.5 U.S. cents)-stickers is executives with offices on
Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman. So, the economically weak do not
have to buy the stickers, do they?

Will this target ever be met? How can a distinction be made
between the executives and the economically weak when both use
the roads? What criteria will be employed? In an office, for
example, what is the ratio between the number of executives and
employees?

In this regard, there must of course be a common perception
about who can be categorized as executives. In my understanding,
people who earn just enough to own a car cannot be categorized as
executives. Once they have a car, they use it to save money, time
and energy. And those driving office cars obviously cannot be
categorized as executives either.

In my opinion the majority of the cars using Jl. Thamrin and
Jl. Sudirman are private/office cars and cars/buses transporting
Armed Forces members/civil servants, driven by people earning an
inconsiderable salary. They do not need to buy stickers, do they?

Then the statement in the aforementioned article said that
poorer "community members are required to make a sacrifice by
avoiding the restricted areas for two hours in the morning and
another two in the afternoon. If they wish to enter these areas,
they can take a bus."

My question is whether or not bosses are willing to tolerate
their subordinates arriving at least two hours late at the office
every day? As for the suggestion that a bus should be taken, the
routes available are not clear and considering that most people
reside in Bogor, Tangerang & Bekasi (Botabek), it will be a
headache for them to find the cheapest way to get to their
offices in the restricted areas, on time.

Finally, I get the impression that the sticker policy, which
is to be introduced supposedly to help ease traffic congestion
along Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman, has not been thought through
comprehensively because when the system is applied it will only
shift traffic congestion to other areas. Who cares? What matters
is that there is no traffic congestion along Jl. Thamrin and Jl.
Sudirman.

SOEJOEDONO

Jakarta