TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Online taxi drivers (ojek) of ride-hailing company Grab Indonesia who joined in Gerakan Hantam Aplikator Nakal (Gerhana) staged a rally in front of the company headquarter in Lippo Building, Kuningan, Jakarta, Monday, September 10. Dozens of drivers gave speeches.
“We will stay here until the representative meets us,” said Gerhana spokesman Dedi Haryantoni.
The representatives of Grab Indonesia have yet met them thus far. Dedi claimed he would bring thousands of online taxi drivers. According to him, other drivers were on their way to the Kuningan area, South Jakarta.
Dedi explained several demands they sought, such as refusing the applicator to be a transportation company, strongly rejected exploitation of online drivers, cartelization, and monopoly of the online transportation business.
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Aside from that, Dedi warned if their demands are not being fulfilled, online ojek drivers would urge the government to revoke the business permit of Grab and Go-Jek in Indonesia.
“Without that application, we will ask the government to create an application of online-based transportation service,” he said.
According to Dedi, the government would experience the loss if it did not develop an online transportation platform which then detrimental for the country economy. “Millions of online taxi drivers will lose their job and forced to return their vehicle to bank or leasing,” he added.
The person in charge of the rally Chairudin Reffy said he would leave the site. He and his friends demanded Grab Indonesia management involve them in every process of regulation making.
Based on Tempo observation, the rally caused traffic congestion in Jalan Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta. The online taxi driver previously holds the demonstration on the street and then moved to the building park.
Meanwhile, as of press time, Grab Indonesia Public Relations official Dewi Nuraini has yet responded to Tempo`s calls and messages regarding the rally.
CHITRA PARAMAESTI
