TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Transportation Agency head Syafrin Liputo asserted that his side could not prohibit the reoperation of Chinese-made Zhong Tong bus as it is the authority of city bus operator, Transjakarta.

“We cannot ban it. Because by the time the operator wins the bidding, they can make a decision. As for us [the agency], as long as [the bus] meets the specification set by Transportation Ministry, we allow it,” said Syafrin in Jakarta, Thursday, Oct. 17.

Syafrin mentioned that the Transportation Ministry has a regulation on Law No. 22/2009 on land transportation that must be followed by bus operators.

Besides, he added, the bus type did not belong to Transjakarta because the firm had no longer purchased the vehicle but rather paid the operational service.

However, Jakarta was still monitoring the bus operations, and should there is a violation, the sanction will be imposed, such as a pay cut or even a ban of operation.

State-run bus company Perum PPD, one of the operators of the Transjakarta bus, has recently reoperated 21 out of 51 Chinese-manufactured buses, which was included in the procurement of 2012-2013. They claimed the bus has met the passenger’s safety standard.

The reoperation of the Zhong Tong bus sparked public concerns as the vehicles had been grounded during the era of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok after it caught fires.

ANTARA