"I see that Bandung and Bogor cities have started developing electric buses and without the central government's support, but other regions have not,"
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi stressed on the importance of the local governments' commitment in developing e-mobility transportation or electric-powered public transportation in city areas.

At the "Sustainable E-Mobility Event: Upscaling Bus Electrification Nationwide" event here on Tuesday, Sumadi remarked that the Transportation Ministry had launched an urban transportation program in 10 cities with the Buy the Service (BTS) scheme since 2020.

He affirmed that the program aimed to respond to the high demand for public transportation modes in urban areas.

The service is currently available in Medan, Surakarta, Denpasar, Yogyakarta, Palembang, Bandung, Surabaya, Makassar, Banjarmasin, and Banyumas.

Moreover, his side has launched the electric bus program in two cities, namely in Bandung, with eight electric-powered buses and four in Surabaya.

However, he noted that the program is not fully utilized by the local governments.

"It has been running, but we do not know about the local government's commitment. Hence, to regional transportation office heads, I say that the central government's programs are not only the central government's responsibility," he affirmed.

He remarked that regional governments need to take responsibility in making the transportation program optimal.

In addition, he drew attention to the reluctance of several people to switch to using electric vehicles due to their high prices and can reach twice as much as the fossil fuel car prices.

"I see that Bandung and Bogor cities have started developing electric buses and without the central government's support, but other regions have not," he stated.

To this end, he urged local governments to encourage the public to use electric buses and come up with ways to make electric vehicles cheaper.

Moreover, he remarked that the government sought support from the World Bank and Germany's KfW Development Bank to support the electrification of buses in Indonesia.

Translator: Shofi A, Kenzu
Editor: Arie Novarina
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