TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Finance and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) responded to the import of used trains from China by PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI) or KAI Commuter. BPKP had previously opposed the import of used trains from Japan.

KAI Commuter, a subsidiary of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), signed a deal with China’s CRRC Sifang Co. Ltd. in Beijing on January 31, for the procurement of new electric railways.

“While Japan [offers] cheaper trains, why choose China? We have not conducted an audit for these activities,” said BPKP Deputy State Accountant Sally Salamah at the BPKP Office in Jakarta on Thursday, Feb. 1.

Sally explained that PT KCI would usually ask BPKP for assistance or supervision in the procurement of imported trains.

Asdo Artriviyanto, Director of KAI Commuter, said his side would import three KCI-SFC120-V type trains from China as part of the deal.

“The procurement of new KRL facilities is to accommodate the needs of Greater Jakarta Commuter Line users in 2024-2025, which has reached almost 1 million users per day [so far],” Asdo said in a written statement on Wednesday, January 31.

He claimed that the procurement project was discussed at a coordination meeting chaired by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan in June 2023. It aimed to increase train capacity and replace aging trains which will be retrofitted by state-owned train maker PT INKA.

“All funding comes from KAI Commuter loans, shareholder loans from PT KAI, and the government’s assistance through state capital injection (PMN),” said Asdo.

RIRI RAHAYU

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