Demonstration At DKI DPRD Building, Ojol Drivers To Council Members: Don't Implement ERP If You Expect Our Votes In The Election

Photo by Diah Ayu Wardani/VOI

JAKARTA - Group of online motorbike taxi drivers (ojol) are still holding a demonstration in front of the DKI Jakarta DPRD building. They reject the implementation of the electronic road pricing (ERP) which is currently being planned.

They demanded that the DKI DPRD cancel the ERP implementation. If not, this ojol group threatens not to re-elect them as candidates for legislative members in the 2024 General Election. This can be seen in the poster writing they brought when carrying out demonstrations.

"Dear Jakarta legislators, never mind to implement the ERP if you still hope for our votes in 2024 (general election)," wrote the poster held by the action participants on Kebon Sirih Street, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, January 25.

They had previously been visited by the Chairman of Commission B of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Ismail. However, shortly after approaching the ojol group, Ismail returned to the building.

Met at the location, Ismail explained his intention to meet the demonstrators because he invited representatives of the demonstration participants to officially attend an audience and officially explain their demands for action.

"We want to appreciate this community group so that then we present its representatives at the commission B work meeting with related agencies in the ERP discussion. The goal is that they can convey directly, be heard directly, not only by the deputy people, but also by the executive," said Ismail, Wednesday, January 25.

Apparently, this ojol group did not want to have an audience with Commission B of the DKI DPRD and firmly wanted to meet the chairman of the DKI DPRD directly. They decided to continue holding demonstrations in front of the DPRD Building.

"Earlier, we witnessed that the community representatives refused to be presented together at the meeting. They wanted to meet the chairman of the DPRD. Yes, we can't force it," said Ismail.

"But at least, in writing, we can already capture what their aspirations are and we will still fight for this in our discussion meetings in the future," he continued.

The ojol group is still holding an action in front of the DPRD DKI building. They also filled half of the road and caused traffic jams on Kebon Sirih Street.

For information, motorbikes are considered to be subject to paid road fares like other private motorized vehicles. So, DKI Pemprov will also charge the ERP rates to online motorcycle taxi vehicles. The reason is, these vehicles are not included in the yellow plate vehicles (public transportation).

In the results of the DKI Transportation Agency's study, there are factors that are taken into consideration by motorcycles being included in the ERP tariff imposition. Referring to DKI Jakarta Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data in 2020, the number of motorcycles in one year has increased by around 5.3 percent.

Then, the implementation of the odd-even traffic control effort has resulted in 37 percent of car users switching to motorcycles, 17 percent switching to motorcycle taxis and online transportation, and only 27 percent switching to public transportation.

Now, a draft Regional Regulation (Raperda) on Electronic Traffic Control which regulates paid roads has been prepared. Pemprov and DPRD DKI have also held initial discussions regarding the contents of the draft regional regulation, but discussion of article by article has not yet been carried out.