Transjabodetabek Fare Hike Must Consider Regional Fiscal Capacity: Legislator

Member of Commission B of the DKI Jakarta Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD), Dwi Rio Sambodo, has assessed that the planned tariff adjustment for Transjakarta, particularly the Transjabodetabek service covering buffer zones, needs to be reviewed by considering service sustainability, regional fiscal capacity, and the socio-economic conditions of the community. “Before making a decision regarding the tariff adjustment, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government needs to ensure that operational efficiency and subsidy governance have been carried out optimally,” Rio said in Jakarta on Wednesday. According to him, a Transjakarta tariff adjustment is reasonable, given that the current fares have been maintained for quite a long period. “Periodic evaluations are a reasonable thing to do, especially given the regional fiscal capacity,” he said. He noted that the region’s fiscal condition is currently undergoing adjustments following budget efficiency measures by the Central Government, including a reduction in revenue-sharing funds. Furthermore, Rio stated that transparency in budget usage and the effectiveness of public spending must be a primary concern so that every policy has a strong and accountable basis. On the other hand, it must be understood that public transport has a strategic function as a basic public service. Therefore, any tariff policy should consider citizens’ purchasing power and its impact on public interest in continuing to use public transport. “The main focus of the Regional Government should remain directed at improving service quality, targeting subsidies accurately, and strengthening intermodal integration. With increasingly better services, the public will gain greater benefits and the goal of sustainable transportation development can be achieved,” he said.