Reaping Criticism, Plans To Separate Male-Female Seating In Angkot Finally Canceled

JAKARTA - The Head of DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency, Syafrin Liputo, has canceled the plan to separate male and female seats in city public transportation (angkot). This cancellation was based on the reaction that developed in the community.

"Considering the existing conditions in society, the discourse on the separation of male and female passengers in angkot cannot be implemented at this time," Syafrin told reporters, Wednesday, July 13.

The DKI Provincial Government uses other methods to deal with and prevent acts of sexual violence other than this canceled seat separation.

These methods include, among others, establishing the POS Friends of Women and Children (POS SAPA) in Mode of Transport which is equipped with a complaint number 112. The officer who serves the complaint number is claimed to have been trained in handling related cases.

Syafrin said, the SAPA POS facilities are already available at 23 Transjakarta bus stops, 13 MRT stations and 6 LRT stations. In the future, POS SAPA will continue to be added including reaching Angkot services.

"In addition, public transport drivers who are members of the Jaklingko program have received education and training which includes an excellent service curriculum, including how to act in dealing with emergencies through a public transport driver certification program," he explained.

Previously, the plan to separate seats for angkot passengers of different sexes emerged after a case of sexual harassment on an angkot majoring in M-44 on the Tebet-Kuningan route that went viral some time ago.

Syafrin said the separation of passenger seats was intended to prevent cases of sexual harassment in public transportation from reoccurring.

"With the sexual harassment that occurs in angkot, we must take mitigation measures, so that similar incidents can be minimized, even eliminated. Thus, there will be physical separation (between men and women) and no longer mixing," said Syafrin at Balai City of DKI Jakarta, Monday, July 11th.

Syafrin explained, later male passengers will sit in the right row of seats with a capacity of six people and female passengers will sit on the left with a capacity of four people.

Apparently, this plan has drawn criticism from a number of parties and the Transportation Agency has finally canceled the plan for segregating seats based on gender.