Governor wants new transport system

Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Fauzi Bowo said Thursday he hoped the newly elected City Transportation Council members would revise the capital's macro transportation system.

"I hope this new team will revise and update the macro transportation system," he said at City Hall after the swearing-in of 15 new City Transportation Council members.

"I believe the macro transportation system may not be relevant anymore and needs to be reevaluated and adjusted, for example, to include a busway tariff hike and busway subsidy increase. Tariff adjustments are not forbidden, are they?"

The city administration in 2004 revealed a macro transportation system plan for the capital, which was designed by a team of transportation experts.

The plan was to function as a city transportation development road map for the next 10 years but was replaced earlier this year by the City Transportation Agency, according to agency head Nurachman.

Soetanto Soehodo, the former council chairman and a University of Indonesia academic, said although he did not know what went wrong with the 2004 macro transportation system plan, the newly established team might propose a new macro transportation system.

Providing the city administration with suggestions relating to transportation issues was part of the council's job, with or without the administration's request, he said.

In relation to possible busway tariff and subsidy hikes suggested by the governor, Soetanto said "they are not necessary if the revenue from ticket sales is enough".

"But we could ask for an increased subsidy from the City Council in the future if (the existing subsidy) is not enough," he said.

"And the administration can tell whether TransJakarta (the busway operator) has sufficient income or not through its financial report, if only the administration had the company audited."

Soetanto is a member of the new council, which also includes academics, transportation experts and an activist, as well as public transportation operators, crew and commuters.

The council, which is yet to vote for a chairman, will work for a five-year period, as stipulated by a 2003 ordinance.

Often criticized for its questionable achievements and role as a representative for the administration, the council would also improve information systems and involve more stakeholders in transportation-related policy making, Soetanto said.

"A policy might represent one group but not benefit another. This is where we need more stakeholders involved and the council members alone are just not enough," he said.

"We also need to empower our office to improve management."