New Tariffs For Japek And MBZ Toll Roads Criticized By The Public, Minister Basuki Opened His Voice

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has opened its voice regarding the increase in tariffs on the Jakarta-Cikampek (Japek) Toll Road and MBZ Flyover. The toll tariff increase took effect today, Saturday, March 9, 2024.

The reason is, the increase in toll rates has received a lot of criticism from the public. The public assesses that the increase in toll rates is increasingly burdensome in the midst of soaring food commodity prices ahead of Ramadan 2024.

Based on VOI's search on the official Instagram account @official.jasamarga, Saturday, March 9, 2024, many netizens commented on the increase in tariffs.

"This year's salary didn't go up, but others continued to rise," wrote the comment @teh.***.

"Actually, the toll rate goes up, it doesn't matter as long as the road runs smoothly. Every time you enter the Japek toll road, the car jumps, especially from Tambun to West Cikarang. It's confusing for all toll roads," wrote comment @iam****.

The Minister of PUPR, Basuki Hadimuljono, said that the toll tariff adjustment was already time to be done at this time.

You see, toll tariff adjustments have been regulated in Road Law Number 2 of 2022. According to Article 48 Paragraph 3 of the Law, toll tariff adjustments are made every two years by considering the inflation rate and evaluation of the fulfillment of the Minimum Service Standard (SPM) for expressways.

"This toll road is in accordance with the law. Two things have gone up once, right," said Basuki at the PUPR Ministry office, Jakarta, Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Basuki admitted that the toll tariff increase had indeed been approved by him for the last six months. However, he said that this could only be realized in February 2024 through the Decree of the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Number: 250/KPTS/M/2024 dated February 2, 2024 concerning Adjustments to Integration Tariffs on the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road and the Jakarta-Cikampek II Elevated Toll Road.

"I have detained this for six months and this is, right, the toll road business ecosystem. So, I think it's time to go up," he said.

On a different occasion, Spokesperson for the Ministry of PUPR, Endra S. Atmawidjaja, said that the approval regarding the increase in toll rates had gone through various considerations.

"If (increase the tariff) for the Japek Toll Road, right, we have indeed followed the toll road entrepreneur's agreement because we are indeed in agreement with the tariff adjustment with various considerations," Endra told reporters at the PUPR Ministry office, Jakarta, Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Endra assessed that his party was not only considering in terms of meeting the Minimum Service Standards (SPM), but also from various infrastructures available on the toll road.

"So, not only SPM, but also in terms of services. In Japek, there is an increase in lanes, yes, so that it doesn't get stuck. We, right, know that the Japek Toll Road is a very heavy burden. So, indeed there are additional lanes that must be compensated in the form of tariffs," he said.

"So, we have calculated everything. Then, we have also consulted with BPKP and this result is indeed an approved result. This means that the BUJT proposal is assessed by the government and generated by BPKP," he said.

According to Endra, if people object to the increase in toll rates, they can anticipate using existing public transportation. So, people have various choices.

"However, the government, right, has also seen various available infrastructures. So, people have many choices, not only via toll roads, but can calculate economically whether later (use) commuters, MRT, LRT or other routes that can still be used," he added.

As for the latest details of the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll and MBZ Flyover rates:

Jakarta Interchange-Cikampek

Group I: IDR 27,000, originally IDR 20,000

Groups II And III: IDR 40,500, originally IDR 30,000

Groups IV And V: IDR 54,000, originally IDR 40,000