Low Cost Car Policy vs. Public Bus Incentive Policy
January is just a few days
left. However, this first month of 2013 would never be easily forgotten by the
people. The pouring rain that almost fell everyday has made major part of
Jakarta and the regions around the city heavily flooded. Organda Central Board is
deeply concerned over this natural and repeating disaster. We pray for the
people who are facing difficulties and participate through our part to reduce
the difficultness.
We, on behalf of Organda
Central Board, lay our hand to our members who were affected by the negative
impact of the flood. There were many Organda members, drivers of angkot (Small Vehicle Urban Public
Transportation), bus crews, and
ticket sellers whose residences were covered by the flood.
There were also a lot of
infrastructures, including ring roads, over-flooded. It created more challenges
for bus operators to transport people and goods mobility. As consequences, the
operators lost their income and people of Jakarta also suffered in their
economic side.
In January 2013, there are a
lot of discussions, great ideas, and debates which are related to public
transportation, including debates over MRT up to suddenly the decision allowing
Kopaja AC without any comprehensive study, nor coordination with Organda
Central Board as the caretaker of Organda Jakarta.
Over the last few weeks,
there were also heightened debates over the construction of six new toll roads
in Jakarta. The pros and cons were debating in both virtual social media as
well as real situation.
Organda has also clarified
and justified our point of view that the new toll roads – despite providing
lanes for busway, has denied the urban planning principles and the urban
transport. Moreover, until today, there are no blueprints on how the busway
would operate in those toll roads, how many busses are provided? When is the
target time?
Furthemore, for regulatory
policy should be supporting the improvement and development in public transport
in every density of areas of Jabodetabek. The most important thing is the new
routing design which is needed crucially for Jakarta and the satellite cities.
Further study should be made without complicated bureaucracy, since, In short,
the people should not buy cat in the sack!
New
Regulation
When
the end of January is close to an end, one thing that has not been solved is
the plan to issue the regulations of Low Cost Green Car (LCGC). Organda has got
information that the regulation is just waiting for President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono’s signature.
However, Organda hopes that
the delay of LCGC regulation is because the strong intention to re-consider the
impact to faster the gridlock in Jakarta by having those cars. It is not mainly
because the bureaucracy or mere letters issues, or just waiting for the
signature. But there are more to these.
We cross our fingers that
the new proper action, by putting people first, has also been considered, such
as new infrastructure without paying to accommodate and anticipate the
projection of the increasing production of 100.000 units of low cost cars or
the production of 273 cars per day.
Developing the automobile
industry is a noble action. But the profit and benefit the industry gets should
not be less than the problems that this industry creates. In short, Organda is
hopeful that the roads infrastructure is constructed to accommodate those cars
as well as the parking areas which could put up 100.000 productions of low cost
cars and another 1.1 Million cars. Or, let us spend most of our productive
hours on the road, which most people in Jakarta spend 60% of their lifetime.
Organda Central Board, our
members, and the people appreciate the production of LCGC cars which maximize
the use of local components without creating more energy wasted, higher number
of subsidized fuel, and pollution. We hope that it may increase the absorption
of labors in the automotive industry.
We also heard that the LCGC
car – except electric car, is designed especially to consume high octane fuel
or non-premium fuel. We would like our
gratitude to the government who we believe gradually reduced their subsidized
fuel usage from the people who can afford purchasing private vehicle. It would
be correct when the saving make by reducing the subsidized fuel can be
channeled to develop massive public infrastructure with better routing,
supported by good infrastructure.
In this moment, we would
like to express our concern over the regulation for the procurement for public
and mass transportation. We wonder why there are no particular incentives for
bus or trucks procurement. Why there is no low cost bus?
The saving from this
procurement could be made to support mobility for people and goods which are in
accordance with supporting government’s goal to improve the GDP by 7 % in 2013.
It could be done by creating routing design for public transportation with the
feeder meets the need of the people, routes revitalization, revitalization for
public transportation procurement, as well as the rejuvenation of public
transportation which desperately needs incentive such has been experienced by
private vehicle and automotive companies
From philosophical point of view,
if the so-called “green car” is introduced with several incentives – with the
purpose to increase the selling, why similar incentive, provided for public
transport, such as bus and trucks, could not be made?
It should be understood that
despite the bus is not yet supported by “green car” technology, but with its
nature to transport huge number of people, the government could take a lot of
benefit it. First, generally, it consumes less fuel per passenger. Second, the
gas emission which is produced by public transport is less than the emission of
massive use of private vehicle.
Finally, we believe Issuing
the regulation to support public transportation in accordance with the LCGC car
regulation could show government’s concern for both industries. Why?
First, the government will show
their concern over the lower income people who really need good public
transportation. Eventually, transportation is expected to improve the economy
of the people in remote areas.
Second, it is impossible to
build mass transportation in the urban city without any regulation support
which could accommodate the revitalization of public transport. It is because
the low cost procurement is the main component to make good public
transportation.
Third, by issuing particular
regulation which adjusts the incentive for vehicle intended for public
transportation, it would send positive signal for international community. It
would show the government’s serious action to reduce the gas emission to save
the earth.
Thank you.
Chairwoman of Organda Central Board,
Eka
Sari Lorena
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