Decreased Toll Turnover, PUPR Ministry Strategy To Request Credit Relaxation To Banks

JAKARTA - The corona virus pandemic or COVID-19 in Indonesia is increasingly spreading. As a result, not only disrupting the health sector and the national economy, this virus outbreak also makes toll road users decrease. Moreover, the central and local governments have also instructed to stay at home or stay at home.

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono revealed that traffic on toll roads has decreased by between 40 and 60 percent. This condition can affect the income of the Toll Road Business Entity (BUJT).

The decline began to occur in the third week of March, with 2.48 million daily traffic (LHR) for the Jabodetabek toll road, whereas in the third week of February there were 3.15 million. In the fourth week of March it fell another 1.6 million when compared with the fourth week of February 3.11 million.

In addition, the Trans-Java toll road also decreased. In the fourth week of February, LHR was recorded at 1.2 million vehicles, while in the fourth week of March there were only 840,000 vehicles. In fact, said Basuki, BUJT said only 20 percent of the LHR was left.

Basuki explained, because of the decreasing condition, his party would ask for relaxation of payment obligations from the bank.

"What we are still discussing, perhaps first is to ask for relaxation of the payment of BUJT obligations to banks. Because the reduced revenue by about 40 percent will reduce the ability to pay to banks," he said, in a video conference with journalists, in Jakarta, Tuesday, April 7th.

According to Basuki, the relaxation that was requested was the ease of credit payment, both principal and interest. However, at this time his party still has not held a meeting with the bank.

"So we ask, if possible, to pay both the principal and the interest in accordance with the revenue obtained. But we haven't processed it yet, we'll discuss it again," he explained.

Basuki said, another impact of COVID-19 was a slowdown in land acquisition from the State Asset Management Institute (LMAN). This is because the existence of social restrictions causes activities that have the potential to create crowds to be restricted to prevent the spread of the virus.

"The slowdown in land acquisition is not due to money, but because of crowd restrictions," he said.

In addition, Basuki said, his party also asked LMAN to accelerate the payment of land bailout funds to BUJT.

"So the bailout payment for land acquisition that has been carried out by BUJT is still in LMAN," he explained.

Give Social Security

In terms of toll road operation, said Basuki, BUJT as the manager has implemented a protocol to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in toll areas. One of them, rest areas on toll roads have implemented physical distancing restrictions.

Not only that, according to Basuki, BUJT also provides hand sanitizers at several points such as prayer rooms, toilets and several other points in the resting area.

"Those are matters that are related and their impact on the work at PUPR," he said.

Basuki revealed that his party would provide social security to all employees working in the PUPR environment. He noted that in total there are 137 thousand employees, including contractors, as well as freelancers.

"This is also our data to provide social security even though there are social restrictions," he said.