"The application-based transportation services, like GrabCar and Uber, are operating illegally," Shafruan Sinungan, the head of Organda in Jakarta, said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Jakarta Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) has asked the regional government of Jakarta to shut down online transportation services in the capital city, such as GrabCar and Uber.
"The application-based transportation services, like GrabCar and Uber, are operating illegally," Shafruan Sinungan, the head of Organda in Jakarta, said here on Tuesday.
He noted that the presence of the two online services has an impact upon the survival of non-online public transportation services in Jakarta, saying the application-based services should be banned.
"The presence of the online service has caused concern among public transportation companies and harmed the livelihood of drivers working for non-online transportation services. It also has reduced the number of passengers who usually use the services of non-online transportation modes," noted Shafruan.
He added that the presence of online transportation services adversely affected the incomes of drivers and public transportation businesses, as revenues have fallen.
"So, the drivers of public transportation modes, such as taxis, city buses and mikrolet minivans, demand that online transportation services be closed," said Shafruan.
The second demand of the drivers is that Regional Government Regulation No. 5/2014 on Vehicle Age be revoked.
He said the regulation, which restricts the age of public transportation vehicles to 10 years, contradicts provisions in the Decree of Transportation Minister No. 98/2013 on People Transportation Minimal Service Standard with Public Motorized Vehicles on Routes.
"In Regional Government Regulation No. 5/ 2014, the age of public transportation is restricted to 10 years, while in the ministerial decree the ages of city buses and mikrolet minivans are restricted to 20 years. Inter-city buses can be operated until the age of 25 years. Thus, these two regulations are contradictory to each other," remarked Shafruan.
The Jakarta provincial government, meanwhile, has urged all owners, as well as the management of companies offering online application-based transportation services, to immediately acquire operational permits.
"Online application-based transport providers must follow our rules by registering to operate in Jakarta," Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, the governor of Jakarta, stated here on Monday.
According to the governor, known as Ahok, operational licenses are compulsory.
"We do not want to prohibit online application-based transportation service providers, as now is the era of technology, but we underline the importance of securing an operational license, so that other public transportation providers would not feel less competitive and suffer losses," he affirmed.
Therefore, Ahok has requested some online application-based transportation service providers, such as GrabCar and Uber, to immediately register to receive operational licenses and place a logo on every vehicle used to carry passengers.
"It is the same with GrabCar and Uber taxis in Singapore, which are taxis and cars there were already registered as modes of public transportation. GrabCar and Uber taxis in Jakarta need to follow the same rule," he added.
He also urged the management of online application-based transportation service providers to complete other administrative documentation, such as the vehicles' checking documents (KIR), license of the companys establishment from the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), and registration of a Taxpayer Identification Number (NPWP).
"After completing all the registration paperwork and obtaining operational permits, the management of these online application-based transportation service providers have to pay taxes to the provincial government. That is what the rule is," Ahok stated.
If the management of online application-based transportation providers do not immediately take responsibility to undergo the licensing process, the vehicles from those companies used to transport passengers could be seized and impounded.
Earlier, hundreds of public transport drivers rallied in front of Jakarta City Hall, located on Medan Merdeka Selatan Street, demanding the government curb online application-based transportation services, which they believe have reduced their incomes.
Those drivers of taxis, kopajas and bajajs believe transportation providers, such as GrabCar and Uber, are illegal.
"We reject the applications, but not the people. We expect the government to close down and put an end to those unauthorized transportation providers," said one of the speakers at the rally.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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