No Garbage Bins in MRT Stations; Here's Why

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - PT MRT Jakarta purposely did not provide trash bins inside the MRT stations. Company officials said this is done to teach people not to bring potential garbage inside the station.

"We don’t want the availability of trash bins to encourage people to bring food and drinks and then throw away the packaging," MRT Jakarta corporate secretary division head Muhammad Kamaluddin said on Sunday, March 31.

MRT Jakarta prohibit passengers to eat and drink after passing through the ticket gates. 

Kamaluddin said they have prepared measures to prevent and anticipate littering or bring food and beverages.

Read also: MRT Greatly Reduce Commute Time, says Jakarta Workers

Sadly, many passengers are still eating and dining inside the station. Some even sat on the floor to eat cup noodles. And surely, the station is filled with garbage, mostly pet bottles and food packaging.

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi regretted this behavior. "There are two things that need evaluation. First is our people's lifestyle. Lack of orderly, eating in stations, dangling on grab handles—those all went viral. I hope for a new culture and we must make adjustments," Budi said when attending the MRT launch ceremony in Jakarta, March 24.

Budi also hope people would talk less and not use their mobile phones too much inside the trains.  

ADAM PRIREZA