TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan claimed that the current user of public transportation in the capital city declined to only 23 percent or a quarter of the city population that amounted to some ten million people.

According to Anies Baswedan, as many as 48 percents of Jakartans in 1998 used public transportation.

Responding to the low figure, Anies planned to board the newly-build MRT Jakarta for work and return home to encourage Jakartans to utilize public transportation.

“Whatever the factor [of the low number of public transportation user], the country must not stand still. We have to designate mass public transportation together so the public willing to board it,” said Anies Wednesday, March 13, at the City Hall, Central Jakarta.

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Anies said that he would use the first Indonesian MRT to reach his office in the City Hall from his residence in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta within these several days. The act was expected to attract Jakartans diverted their private vehicle to public transportation.

Through his Instagram page @aniesbaswedan on Wednesday morning, Anies Baswedan posted his experience boarding MRT Jakarta with MRT Jakarta president director William Sabandar and MRT Jakarta construction director Silvia Halim.

The act coincided with MRT Jakarta public trial run that was set on March 12 to 24, 2019. Anies Baswedan further called for the public to follow his step, working and returning to home using the train. “Who knows that we can be in the same car,” he said.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH