"Staging a rally is a right but please exercise it in an orderly and peaceful manner," President Widodo said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo here on Tuesday urged public transportation drivers, who have launched a protest against the smartphone application-based taxi services, to stage their strike peacefully.
"Staging a rally is a right but please exercise it in an orderly and peaceful manner," President Widodo informed his ministers and top government officials at a meeting at the Public Works and Housing Ministry here.
The head of state remarked that Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan was seeking a solution to problems related to the smartphone application-based taxi services.
Several thousand drivers, employed by various taxi operators in the Greater Jakarta area, staged a massive strike to express their strong disagreement to what they call as an unfair competition from the smartphone application-based taxi services that have significantly reduced their income.
The protesting drivers sought for the dissolution of cheap taxis using the smartphone applications for serving consumers in gridlocked Jakarta.
The taxi drivers taking to the streets of Jakarta have brought certain parts of the capital city to a standstill as they stopped their cars on some main roads.
The drivers staging the rally believe that the private cars offering smartphone application-based taxi services are not a business entity, which are subject to tax regulations and obligated to undergo the vehicle road worthiness tests (KIR).
In response to this rally, the transportation minister has called on the protesting drivers to avoid engaging in violent and anarchic actions.
"The drivers who have taken violent and anarchic actions should be subject to a legal process," he affirmed.
The use of smartphone applications and information technology devices was not a problem, and it could be applied by any taxi operator, he added.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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