PSI Slams Jakarta's Formula E Plan as Waste of Taxpayers' Money

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) has strongly encouraged Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to cancel the plan upon hosting a Formula E race in 2020. The party deemed the costs needed to host the international racing event will be a waste of taxpayer’s money. 

PSI’s Jakarta legislator (DPRD) member, Anthony Winza Probowi, said hosting the Formula E race would roughly need Rp1.6 trillion from taxpayers' money. He asserted that it is best to divert the spending to fund programs that are directly beneficial for Jakarta residents.

“This is the taxpayers’ money. Whenever I pay Jakartans a visit, I still see plenty of them needing access to clean water, many are struggling to find money to fund their businesses, school facilities in Jakarta have yet been rehabilitated, but this short term event that costs trillions is suddenly included [in the regional budget],” said Anthony at the DPRD headquarters on Thursday, November 7.

Moreover, Anthony said that it would be a gamble to host the event in Jakarta as it has yet clear how much financial advantage the city would be able to obtain from it. 

“The income projection for us hasn’t clear. Many other countries that have hosted a Formula E event eventually endured losses and are unable to sustain the program for the coming years,” he said. 

Echoing Anthony’s criticism, fellow PSI member Anggara Wicitra Sastroamidjojo added that the Formula E race is not directly correlated to promote the use of electric cars. Anggara added that promoting the growth of electric cars can be done by building its supporting infrastructures. 

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan had previously announced that the city would host a Formula E race with a budget of Rp1.6 trillion and has come up with a deal with the race series’ organizers to host races for five years. 

ADAM PRIREZA