"The president asked us to integrate the mode system in Jabodebek. Hence, do not be divided, as there are state-owned enterprises (BUMN), local government, and the central government, so how is this integrated transportation system created in one organization,” Pandjaitan noted at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Wednesday.
Pandjaitan said President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) directed that the merger process be completed within the next month in order to prepare a single organizational structure.
Furthermore, the policy governs an integrated trip ticket transaction system.
"How people buy canal tickets, later, monthly tickets, for one transport. For instance, from Bogor, take the LRT, then maybe later, integrate with the Transjakarta Bus and so on," Pandjaitan noted.
The Jakarta-Bandung High-speed rail will be integrated with Integrated Light Rail Transit (LRT) and TransJakarta services.
"Hence, the point is that we will reduce the number of private vehicles by encouraging the development of comfortable public transportation at a very adequate cost," Pandjaitan affirmed.
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The pollution caused by the use of oil-powered vehicles costs the government hundreds of trillions of dollars.
One of the solutions applied by the government is to set up an electric-powered public transportation mode that is environmentally friendly and comfortable for users.
"For example, an electric bus costs more than a diesel bus, yes, we give (subsidies) for 15 years rather than 10 years of payment, so the cost goes down," Pandjaitan remarked.
Pandjaitan targets all stages of the policy to be completed within the next month in preparing the form of organization to the subsidy policy.
Several ministers of the Advanced Indonesian Cabinet (KIM) that attended the meeting comprised Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, and Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia Sri Mulyani.
The meeting was also attended by Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono, Acting Governor of West Java Bey Machmudin, and Acting Governor of Banten Al Muktanar.
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Translator: Andi F, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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