TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Despite previous public activity restriction (PPKM) regulations, the Metro Jaya Police traffic director grand commissioner Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said cyclists with disabilities who use bicycles for commuting are now permitted to commute at Jakarta’s main streets; Sudimran and Thamrin.

The PPKM initially bans recreational cycling activities in city ‘protocol streets’ and on Tuesday, August 31, an incident caught public attention after police barred a cyclist with disabilities from passing Sudirman -Thamrin.

Chairperson for Bike 2 Work Indonesia, a community of cycling activism, Fahmi Saimima explained on Wednesday that it had been the second time the person with disabilities was banned from entering downtown Jakarta streets even though the person was a worker who rides bicycles to work, not for recreational use.

“Using the reason that it was meant to avoid generating crowds is truly not right,” said Fahmi during a discussion with the Metro Jaya Police traffic director on September 1, Antaranews reported.

The Bike 2 Work Chair hopes police personnel would be able to differentiate types of cyclists who use bicycles as a means of transportation and recreational uses, and expects police to better implement their discretion.

Following the discussion, cyclists for work are permitted to operate within city streets while recreational cyclists are still not permitted under the PPKM rules.

Read: DPR Legislator Deems Ban against Cyclists is Discriminatory

ANTARA