Rupiah Trillion Electric Vehicle Subsidy Is Considered To Make More Traffic Jams To Prone To Corruption
JAKARTA - Electric vehicle subsidies are considered to cause a myriad of problems in the future. The problems range from budgets that are prone to being misappropriated to trigger congestion on the streets.
As is known, the Government is preparing a scheme to provide subsidies for the purchase of electric vehicles, this year. After previously announcing the scheme and amount of incentives for the purchase of electric motors, the government also immediately announced the amount of incentives for electric cars and buses.
Transportation Observer from the Soegijapranata Catholic University (UNIKA) Semarang Djoko Setijowarno said the Indonesian government was considered not to have studied in its entirety regarding the policy of electric vehicles abroad. According to him, the subsidy policy for electric vehicles can run well when public transportation modes have been addressed.
"Indonesia learns from abroad that it is only a piece, not comprehensive. Abroad, public transportation is good, then the electric car policy is fixed, and the target is not an electric motorbike," said Djoko in a written statement received by VOI, Friday, March 10.
The expert also serves as the Head of the Advocacy and Community Sector of the Central Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) also emphasized the importance of fixing public transportation.
Because, it can reduce air emissions, reduce traffic congestion, reduce the number of accidents to suppress inflation in the regions.
Meanwhile, subsidies that reach trillions of rupiah can be diverted to fix urban transportation in 20 cities in Indonesia.
"The subsidy program for electric vehicles is prone to abuse. Therefore, the KPK must supervise from the start it is rolled out," said Djoko. "Subsidies or incentives are given to underprivileged residents. Residents who can buy motorbikes and cars there are groups of people who can afford it, so there is no need to be given subsidies or incentives," he added.
Furthermore, said Djoko, the number of motorcycles on Indonesian roads is already large. In fact, more than one motorbike in his household.
According to him, the increasing number of motorbikes circulating on the streets is directly proportional to the increasing number of accidents. Data says 75-80 percent of accidents are caused by motorbikes.
"The government must be able to reduce the excessive use of motorbikes and the impact is as it is today. Currently, Indonesia is in a public transportation crisis and a traffic safety crisis," said Djoko.
Djoko's experts then provided a solution to transportation problems in Indonesia. He considered that everything could be fixed by first improving existing public transportation modes.
One of them, the government can maximize the TEMAN BUS Program in 11 cities in Indonesia. Based on Djoko's observations, 62 percent of motorcycle owners switched to using public buses.
As for the details, 45 percent are used by students, then 38.5 percent of the general public, 15.5 percent of the elderly, and one percent of the disabled.
"In Indonesia, there are many smart people, much smarter than several countries in Southeast Asia, but Indonesia can never make smart policies," he concluded.