DKI DPRD Admits There Is A Reduction Of The Transportation Subsidy Budget, Transjakarta Tariffs Rise Next Year?

Member of Commission B DPRD DKI Jakarta M. Taufik Zoelkifli/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - Member of Commission B of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, M. Taufik Zoelkifli, admitted that there is a plan to reduce the transportation subsidy budget or public service obligation (PSO) in the preparation of the 2026 APBD (RAPBD) draft.

Taufik admitted that the nominal reduction in transportation subsidies in Jakarta next year will be due to the cuts in transfer funds from the central government, which includes revenue-sharing funds (DBH) of up to IDR 15 trillion.

"Commission B, where the partner is the transportation that gets PSO, yes, there are Transjakarta, MRT, and LRT. Yes, we have finally cut it, so we have reduced the budget for subsidies to public transportation," said Taufik at DKI Jakarta City Hall, Tuesday, November 4.

However, Taufik has not been able to confirm how much the reduction in the transportation subsidy budget for Transjakarta, MRT Jakarta, and LRT Jakarta will decrease next year. Given, the discussion of the RAPBD is currently still ongoing.

What is clear is that a number of budgets taken from reducing transportation subsidies will be used to cover the needs of budget allocations that are more needed by the wider community.

"We cut other activities, such as food security, then to MSMEs, and others," said Taufik.

Although there is a reduction in subsidies, Taufik emphasized that the DPRD and the DKI Provincial Government have not confirmed whether the Transjakarta subsidy tariff will be officially increased next year.

The DPRD, continued Taufik, is still waiting for DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung to convey the results of a study on the increase in Transjakarta rates based on the analysis of the ability and willingness of passengers to pay (ability to pay-willingnes to pay) Transjakarta rates when raised.

"So, there is indeed a reduction in subsidies, we are shifting it, but the Transjakarta tariff has not yet increased. Maybe next year we will wait for the governor when the right time to increase it. If the study is complete, then we will increase it," he explained.

Previously, the Head of the DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency, Syafrin Liputo, revealed the economic value of the Transjakarta service tariff if it was not subsidized by the DKI Provincial Government. It is known that the Transjakarta tariff paid for each passenger is Rp. 3,500 per trip.

Meanwhile, the DKI Provincial Government has allocated a transportation subsidy budget (PSO) of IDR 9,700 per ticket.

"The subsidy is Rp. 9,700. Then the Rp. 3,500 is added (paid by passengers). So, the economic value is Rp. 13,000," said Syafrin at DKI Jakarta City Hall, Wednesday, October 29.

So far, the total operational costs that can be closed from Transjakarta service tariff income are only 14 percent so that the burden of Transjakarta subsidies borne by the APBD is 86 percent.

This figure is decreasing from previous years. Where, the cost recovery of Transjakarta services can still cover 34-35 percent of operational expenses.

Therefore, Syafrin acknowledged that the increase in tariffs was increasingly needed because the burden of transportation subsidies disbursed from the APBD was getting bigger. Plus, currently Jakarta is affected by cutting transfer funds to the regions (TK) which includes profit-sharing funds (DBH) of up to IDR 15 trillion.

"Now we are corrected by cutting DBH, so this affects Jakarta's physical capacity. This is of course what the public must understand," explained Syafrin.