We have faced traffic jams for tens of years."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo stated that the procurement of 4 thousand vehicles for public transportation by the Jakarta local government is expected to help resolve traffic jam issues in the capital city.

"We want to overcome traffic congestion. We have faced traffic jams for tens of years. We have applied for the Busway system since eight years. So far, only about 10 to 20 vehicles are being procured in a year. How can we resolve the issue? So, we have to buy 4 thousand vehicles; that will help us solve the problem," stated Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, in the City Hall, here on Wednesday.

Jokowi claimed that the procurement of 4 thousand vehicles for public transportation will consist of three thousand medium sized buses and one thousand buses for the Transjakarta Busway.

"A total of three thousand medium-sized buses and one thousand others for the Transjakarta busway buses will solve the problem we are facing. If we want to resolve the issue we should focus on it," he added.

He explained that the regional Jakarta governments program should be focused and measurable with the right and directed target so that people will eventually benefit.

"I can just purchase 10 or 20 buses, like it has been done in the past. But, will that give the result we need? Also, damaged buses can easily be anything between 10 and 20 buses a year," he stressed.

Earlier, Taufik Azhar, a member of Jakarta Legislative Assembly (DPRD)s Commission B on transportation, criticized the Jakarta regional governments policy with regard to the procurement plan to purchase four thousand buses for public transportation, describing it as a hasty policy.

"The procurement of such buses should be carried out in stages, not all at once, for example, 200 units in sixth months and so on," he explained.
(Uu.A014/INE/KR-BSR/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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