VP Addresses Jokowi's Concern Over Cheap Cars

Jakarta (Antara) - Vice President Boediono addressed Governor of Jakarta Joko Widodo's concern over the government's policy to allow the sale of low-cost green cars (LCGC) at the Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) 2013 on Thursday. With regard to the concern of Pak Jokowi (Mr Joko Widodo), the vice president informed Vice Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who had attended IIMS' opening ceremony, that the central government would not abandon but try to solve the capital city's problems, including traffic congestion and housing-related issues. Jokowi recently sent a letter to the vice president on the government's LCGC policy, which he feared would worsen the traffic problem in the city. Vice President Boediono admitted that metropolitan cities in the country might be flooded with cheap cars upon the implementation of the policy, and this may worsen traffic congestion. However, he said the central government is ready to cooperate with regional governments to deal with such problems. He added that people may not be banned from buying cheap cars but to curb their desire, the government can provide cheap, comfortable, and safe public transport facilities and also issue regulations that will reduce the number of cars on the streets such as the imposition of an electronic road pricing (ERP) system. "There are indeed worries that LCGC could add to the existing problems in metropolitan cities such as Jakarta and other urban centres. Indeed, to solve the problem, central and regional governments should accelerate the improvement of public transportation. That is the key. Secondly, we need not prevent people from purchasing cars. So, let us implement the ERP system immediately. The central and regional governments must find loopholes. If they use cars, they will be required to pay (ERP cost)," he said. Vice President Boediono added that the automotive industry is a strategic industry, which is the backbone of industrialisation in the country. The IIMS 2013, which is being held from September 19 to 29, at the Jakarta International Expo in Kemayoran, has a number of cars on display, including LCGC, Daihatsu Ayla, Toyota Agya, and Suzuki Karimun. The organiser of the event, Johny Darmawan, meanwhile, said car sales in the country have continued to increase, reaching 1.067 million in 2012, up 21 percent from 2011. (*)