Jokowi Laments the Govt's Slow Initiatives on MRT Project
24 February 2014 06:16 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Governor, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), complained about the government's slow initiatives to execute their plans for developing mass transportation such as the Mass Rapid Transit system project. The former Solo Mayor viewed that the slower the government construct the infrastructure of mass transportation, car density will continue to increase, and funds for the project will escalate. "The number of private vehicles will continue to increase, land prices more expensive," he said at a seminar for 'Urban Mass Transportation to Support Regional Economic Development' at Janabadra University, Yogyakarta, Saturday, February 22.
Jokowi showed the condition in Jakarta that has the increase of 300 thousand additional cars and one million motorbikes between January to December, 2013. Meanwhile, regarding land prices in Jakarta, some have reached one hundred million rupiah per meter. "There is no other way, we have to be in favor of mass transportation. Cheap transports that could carry many (people)," he said.
When he became the governor, he admitted that he was astonished by the development of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) that was inactive for 26 years. Meanwhile the monorail project was stagnant in the middle of the road. "These only happen in Indonesia. Many stops during planning after planning."
Jokowi also complained about the convoluted bureaucracy to develop the mass transportation. When he was managing the construction permit for MRT in Jakarta, he admitted that he had to personally visit Transportation, Finance, Public Works, Economic, and Home Ministries. "When Foxconn said they want to invest, I wanted to ensure the land will be available soon and permits to be also issued at that second," Jokowi uttered.
ADDI MAWAHIBUN IDHOM