[sustran] Becak-the threecycle- is back in Jakarta

[Harun Al Rasyid Sorah Lubis]

Two days ago the governor takes his words off again, not to allow the becak
 to operate in the area where they are banned according to the local
government
 regulation, as many becak drivers from the surrounding county rush in to
Jakarta,
 a day after the announcement. The governor was also supported by  (local)
people
 representative, saying that if we allow becak to operate now, it  will be
difficult
 for us to ban them in the future.  Self (oral) announced permission
corrected
 by the same announcement. Where is the law, anyway ??

Areas not covered by public tranport and where becak also not exist  are
normally
served by the so called ojeg (motor-cycle). Untill now, the government see
the ojeg as
a non-formal means of transport, hence no regulation whatsoever apply to
them. Ojeg market
are now spread in many residential area, in any big cities in Indonesia.
Such development are
partly trigerred by uncontrollable real-estate bisnis booming in the last
decade.

With the prolong monetary crisis and the economic depression take place,
it is not sure how public utilities, particularly transport, can be managed
sufficiently.
In fact, now around 8 millions are predicted can not even buy a staples e.g.
rice. and the
government starting today to provide more subsidies for those people by
reducing half
the market price of the rice. (Current market price for rice now Rp2000
equivalent to 20 cents, US$=Rp10000, where infact it is around Rp15000 now).

Sustainable transport is something those people think next , after they get
food  !!!!!



-----Original Message-----
From: Bambang Susantono <bsusantono at earthlink.net>
To: sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
Date: Saturday, June 27, 1998 3:16 AM
Subject: [sustran] Becak-the threecycle- is back in Jakarta


>Dear all,
>
>Two days ago the Governor of Jakarta announced that the becak
>(three-wheelers, human pedaled) is now allowed to be operated in
>Metropolitan Jakarta. This measure is taken to respond to the huge
>unemployment problems in Jakarta which already triggered several mass
>upheavals and bloody riots in the last few weeks.
>


>Today, Jakarta's neighborhood has already been [again] served by becaks.
>Jakarta banned the becak in the late 1970s. Some 50,000 becaks were
>dumped to the Jakarta Bay during the early 80s. Despite its superiority
>in providing services as feeders of transits, becak was seen by the
>government to be incompatible with modern urban life and the main
>obstacle to the smooth flow of urban traffic.
>


>The low income, especially the women, praised this policy. Is the
>current economic crisis a "blessing in disguise" for transportation
>planners in Jakarta? Might be! but till today the vanpooling increases
>and traffic jams ease from several corridors.
>
>
>Bambang Susantono
>CAL, Berkeley