Jasa Marga Reveals Reasons For Rising Japek And MBZ Toll Tariffs, Here's What He Says

Illustration (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - PT Jasa Marga (Persero) Tbk has opened its voice regarding the increase in Jakarta-Cikampek (Japek) toll rates and the Mohamed Bin Zayed (MBZ) Flyover from IDR 20,000 to IDR 27,000 for class I vehicles.

The increase in tariffs then received a negative response from the community.

Jasa Marga's Corporate Communication and Community Development Group Head Lisye Octaviana revealed that toll road tariff adjustments are made every 2 years based on the accumulation of inflation in the region.

This is also regulated in Law Number 2 of 2022 concerning the Second Amendment to Law Number 38 of 2004 concerning Roads.

"It is necessary to understand that the tariff adjustment is regulated in the law because the investment climate in the toll road industry is an investment return," Lisye said when met at his office, Thursday, March 21.

Lisye said the toll road was built by relying on investment.

As for Jasa Marga itself, the source of funding for toll road projects comes from 30 percent equity and 70 percent of banking loans.

"From here it is an investment. Not only Jasa Marga and the private sector, that's all the funds from the investment. So, in the scheme for the return of investment, it is necessary to adjust the tariff every 2 years based on the accumulation of inflation in the region," he said.

Therefore, Lisye assessed that the tariff adjustments on the two toll roads were already on time.

In fact, this tariff increase is said to have been delayed for about 6 months.

Lisye also explained the reason for the tariff to be quite high.

"Why is the value higher? Because there are indeed several things that we are also doing there, such as increasing scope, adding lanes, and we also add some that are in accordance with coordination with BPJT regulators," said Lisye.

"So, after the calculation is evaluated with several related parties, this figure appears which is in accordance with the law that it is necessary to adjust the tariff," he said.

Previously, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) opened its voice regarding the increase in tariffs on the Jakarta-Cikampek (Japek) Toll Road and MBZ Flyover. The toll tariff increase took effect on 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) of 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 since 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 Adjustment of 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 (the tariff is increased) the Japek Toll Road, right, we have indeed followed the toll road entrepreneur's agreement because we have agreed to the tariff adjustment with various considerations," said Endra.

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