TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Transportation Ministry’s Director of Land Transport Facilities, Sigit Irfansyah, believes that the rife operation of electric-powered motorcycles or the electric motor will not increase the traffic congestion in the country’s highways.

He expresses optimism that people will convert their motorized vehicles to electric ones. “So the traffic may remain the same, while the pollution declines,” said Sigit to Bisnis, Thursday, October 3.

According to Sigit, riders of the conventional motorcycles are waiting for the regulation on electric vehicles. Thus, he added, the government must take this wait-and-see momentum by granting multiple non-fiscal incentives so that the public will be encouraged to convert their fuel-based vehicles.

“What are the benefits other than dropping pollution, what are the facilities [the public] will get? In Norway, the government provides many great non-fiscal incentives,” he added.

Sigit mentioned several incentives that could be applied in Indonesia, including free charging stations in public spaces, four-wheeled vehicles are allowed to pass the Transjakarta bus lane during rush hours, and free parking fees.

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded the number of motorcycles in Indonesia reached 113.03 million units in 2017, jumped from the previous year’s at 105.15 million units.

The leaded fuel eradication committee (KPBB) said motorcycles are the most contributor to air pollution in the archipelago, especially in Jakarta with 44.53 percent, followed by bus transport at 21.43 percent, private vehicles at 16.11 percent, and others.

BISNIS