Minister Of Public Works Jokes About The Sustainability Of The MLFF System: We Pray Before We Get The Wangsit When

Minister of Public Works (PU) Dody Hanggodo. (Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works (PU) Dody Hanggodo joked when asked about the continuation of the contactless toll payment system or Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) in Indonesia.

Previously, this system was scheduled to start an open trial in January 2025. However, before mid-January, the implementation of the MLFF did not work.

Dody admitted that he still wanted to pray first while waiting for his head to continue the MLFF project.

"(About) MLFF, we will pray first, when can we get it," said Dody when met by reporters after the inauguration of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences Building, University of Indonesia in Depok, West Java, Friday, January 10.

On the same occasion, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Works, Mohammad Zainal Fatah, said that the continuation of this system does not yet have the latest developments.

Even so, he believes the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) has held a meeting with Hungary as an investor in this project to discuss the continuation.

"There has been no progress. There has been no progress. Technical meetings are certain with BPJT. Right, the PJPK (Responsibility for the Cooperation Project) is at BPJT," he said.

Previously, Dody said that currently the implementation of MLFF is still hampered by the internal conditions of the Ministry of Public Works, one of which is related to regulations. However, he did not explain further what regulations hindered the toll road system.

He only ensured that the rules synchronization process was still being carried out.

"There are a lot of holes in me. I'm still cleaning up the rules, like the rules that haven't been synchronized here and there, a lot," said Dody when met by reporters at his office, Jakarta, Friday, December 27.

The synchronization in question is still related to the results of the examination by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) some time ago which found a number of problems in MLFF. Due to this condition, Dodi assessed, there are several derivative rules that must be made.

On the other hand, PT Roatex Indonesia Toll System (RITS) as the Implementing Business Entity (BUP) previously mentioned that January 2025 the system is ready to be implemented. However, Dody is of a different view.

He himself is not sure that an open implementation or trial can be carried out starting January 2025. According to Dody, there are still many things that need to be addressed.

"It's impossible (January 2025). But, if possible, thank God. Please pray only. We, right, must always be optimistic," he said.