TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As an effort to embody a convenient public transportation, the Jakarta City Administration will continue to add Transjakarta buses and rejuvenate medium buses; namely, kopaja, metromini and kopami. At least there are 509 new buses have been purchased from local carrosserie.

Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama admitted that the effort is done gradually until at end of this year. No Chinese-made buses will ever be purchased again, he added.

“We are prioritizing local bus carrosserie,” he said at City Hall, Monday (8/3).

However, according to Ahok, there are two choices that can be done for this matter, importing from abroad or local carrosserie.. However, the governor chooses the local workshop even though the process would take more time.

“I said to them to produce with their ability. So there are two choices, do you want to complete the import with a short time or do you want to take it longer until 2016 but you will get them all,” he asserted.

In addition, Ahok ensured that PT Transjakarta will not purchase any Chinese brands such as Zhong Tong, Ankai and Yutong. In general, the city administration prefers Scania, Hino, and Hyundai.

Nevertheless, he lets the operator to purchase Chinese-made buses. “If the operator wants to use it, just do it, I certainly won’t buy such a thing,” he expressed.

The Director of PT Transjakarta, Antonius NS Kosasih acknowledged the effort is targeted will be run gradually starting from October to December 2015 with details 120 medium buses of Kopaja with Toyota brand, 158 new Transjakarta buses which comprising of 99 buses of Foton brand and 59 Yutong buses.

Separately, the total number of 99 Foton buses were the former of Transjakarta procurement which was done by Supervisory Board Head of Public Service Agency (BLUD) in 2012. While, 59 Yutong buses were the former of Supervisory Board Head of Public Service Agency Transjakarta procurement in 2013 which delayed to be fulfilled by Perum PPD bus company.

Last but not least, in December 2015, around 231 new buses will come to capital, with details 31 Transjakarta articulated buses of Scania brand and 200 medium Kopaja buses of Toyota brand.

ANTARA