MEMBER of Commission VI DPR RI Nevi Zuairina assesses that the government’s policy of increasing rates for the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road and the Mohamed Bin Zayed Flyover (MBZ Flyover) is inappropriate. Because, according to him, economic conditions are still unstable due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the approach of Eid al-Fitr 1445 H.
This PKS faction politician highlighted the direct impact of this toll rate increase on transportation and logistics distribution costs, which will indirectly cause the price of goods and services to rise.
“This is a huge burden on society, especially those at the lower levels, and can increase the potential for criminal acts due to increasing economic pressure,” stressed Nevi (24/3).
Furthermore, the legislator from West Sumatra II argued that this tariff increase seemed to be driven more by the desire to increase profits alone.
“Considering that the toll road involved is sufficient to generate profits and is run by companies that are in a healthy financial condition,” he concluded.
This view, he added, was reinforced by the announcement of a sudden increase in tariffs and without adequate prior notification to the public, which was seen as a step that was not transparent and showed a disregard for the public interest.
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This member of the DPR RI Budget Committee considers the way the government announced and implemented the tariff increase as an action that is detrimental to toll road users. This is because it doesn’t give them time to adjust or even express their opinion on the decision.
“This is considered a form of coercion that does not take into account input from the affected communities,” he said.
In responding to this policy, Nevi emphasized the importance of ensuring that every tariff increase is followed by an increase in the quality of services and facilities provided to users.
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“I demand that the funds generated from the tariff increase be allocated for road improvements, as an effort to reduce the risk of accidents and increase user safety and comfort,” he explained.
According to him, aspects of security, comfort and safety of toll road users are basic rights that must always be prioritized by toll road operators.
“Organizers are expected to not only focus on the profit aspect, but also on the quality of the services they provide,” said Nevi.
The tariff increases that have been announced include adjustments for all vehicle classes, with the tariff for class I increasing to IDR 27,000 from the previous IDR 20,000, and classes II to V experiencing a similar increase.
Although this decision was based on industry considerations, the criticism expressed by Nevi shows that there are widespread concerns regarding the social and economic impact of increasing toll rates, especially on communities that are still trying to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Z-7)
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