Transport council still idle two months after recruitment
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
It has been almost two months since the 13 members of the City Transportation Council were announced, but they cannot start work because the city administration has yet to install them.
"It's anticlimactic, as the administration had urged the council recruitment committee to complete the recruitment process immediately," committee member Tulus Abadi told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
"Governor Sutiyoso must install the council members immediately. Many of the selected members are questioning the seriousness of the administration (in setting up the council)."
The establishment of the Transportation Council is mandated under Bylaw No. 12/2003 on transportation, which was endorsed on Nov. 13, 2003, and requires the administration to set up the council six months after its enactment.
Thirteen of the 15-strong council consist of academicians, experts, businessmen, representatives of non-governmental organizations and public transportation workers and users. The two remaining members are representatives of the city transportation agency and the city police.
The council is tasked with providing recommendations to the administration on how to resolve the chronic transportation problems in the capital, but has no legislative authority.
"Maybe the existence of the Transportation Council is not a priority for the administration. Otherwise, we would have already been installed and begun our work," said council member Indah Suksmaningsih, who is also chairwoman of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI).
Other members include Sutanto Soehodho of the University of Indonesia and Andi Rahmah of Pelangi environmental organization.
Ari Muhammad of Swisscontact, who facilitated the council recruitment system, pointed to the administration's recent tour of duty as one of the causes of the sluggish follow-up. However, he added that it was not an adequate reason for the delay, since the announcement on council membership had been made two months ago.
"The public will question the administration's seriousness in the council if the governor himself does not immediately install its members," he said.
Meanwhile, Muhayar Rustamudin of City Council Commission D for development affairs promised to ask the administration about the matter.
"I have no idea why the administration has been slow to install the Transportation Council members. I'll check with relevant officials," he told the Post. According to Muhayar, the council's operational costs are to be part of the draft 2005 city budget.
Tulus said the committee would seek a clarification from the Jakarta government over the installment issue after Idul Fitri, which falls on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16.
"If the administration is not serious, our credibility will be at stake," he said.