"The government has a duty to minimize the mobility of motor vehicles that contribute to carbon emissions that pollute the air," said Puan Maharani in Jakarta on Monday.
She said that the government can bolster the promotion of public transportation such as the Commuter Line (KRL), bus rapid transit TransJakarta, Light Rapid Transit (LRT), and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT).
Maharani made the statement in response to the government's policy implementing work-from-home (WFH) for half of Jakarta's civil servants (ASN).
She asked the government to improve public transportation infrastructure, especially in buffer cities surrounding Jakarta.
That way, she said, interest in using public transportation will increase.
The central and local governments need to synergize to improve public transportation access in Jakarta, she said.
"The subsidies should be used to improve integrated transportation in residential areas and suburbs, so that people want to switch to public transportation," she explained.
Maharani said that the government needs to make another breakthrough so that people will consider using more environmentally friendly electric vehicles (EVs).
She expressed the hope that people will start to abandon fossil fuel-based vehicles.
"The increasing incentives for EVs can be an alternative solution to the worsening air pollution problem, especially in Jakarta," she said.
Moreover, she lauded the WFH policy as a response to the poor air quality in the capital city.
The policy also aims to anticipate traffic congestion during the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta in September 2023.
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Translator: Fauzi, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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