Organda Slams Govt's Plan to Expand Mandatory PCR Test for Travelers

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) Secretary-General Ateng Aryono responded to the government's plan to expand the use of PCR test results as a travel requirement in a bid to anticipate a spike in COVID-19 transmission during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“The PCR test price is still expensive. To public transport passengers, the cost of Rp300,000 is still pricey. A ticket price is just a few hundreds of thousands. It will burden travelers more,” Ateng told Tempo on Tuesday, October 26. 

He asked the government to study a possible subsidy of PCR test price to ease the burden of land transport travelers. He even hoped the test could be free.

“If possible, provide it for free. If not possible, provide a subsidy. I think people will consider it if [the test price is at] Rp100,000,” Ateng added.

Ateng claimed he actually agreed with the mandatory PCR test policy as long as the test price is affordable. If it remains pricey, he opined that people would switch to other transportation modes that do not require many conditions, such as private vehicles and illegal transport.

“We know that the pandemic has been continuing for 1.5 years. This is like playing an old cassette. During the Eid homecoming period, hundreds of blocked road access were crashed by people. That’s ironic,” said Ateng.

Read: Aviation Observer Blasts 'Overpriced' Services by PCR Test Providers

CAESAR AKBAR