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