Jakarta enforces weekly public transit rule for civil servants

The Star

01-05-2025

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung riding a TransJakarta bus on April 30 in Salemba, Central Jakarta. - Antara
JAKARTA: In a rare public display of using mass transit, Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung was seen waiting for a bus at the Taman Suropati stop near his official residence in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (April 30) morning.
He was en route to Matraman, East Jakarta, for a meeting with Aisyiyah, the women's wing of the country's top Islamic organisation Muhammadiyah.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician told reporters that while Jakarta's public transportation system has become more accessible in recent years, major improvements are still needed, particularly in terms of connectivity across the Greater Jakarta area.
'I will soon launch five new Transjabodetabek bus routes to better connect Jakarta with [satellite cities] in West Java and Banten,' Pramono said, as quoted by Antara.
'Hopefully, this will improve overall connectivity.'
He also shared an anecdote from his commute, noting that a fellow passenger told him he had to transfer eight times just to reach his workplace, underscoring the pressing need for a more integrated transport network.
Joining him on the initiative was Deputy Governor Rano Karno, who commuted from his home in South Jakarta's Lebak Bulus using a combination of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and TransJakarta bus to reach a stop near City Hall in Central Jakarta.
A week earlier, Pramono signed Jakarta Gubernatorial Instruction (Ingub) No. 6/2025 that mandates all civil servants within the city administration to take public transport every Wednesday. The policy is part of a broader effort to tackle the capital's chronic traffic congestion.
The 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard ranks Jakarta as the seventh most congested city in the world.
Meanwhile, the latest data from Statistics Indonesia's Jakarta chapter (BPS Jakarta) reveals that the city hosts around 22 million vehicles, which is double its population, with motorcycles making up nearly 80 per cent of the total.
Currently, only about 10 per cent of daily commutes are made using public transportation, which is far short of the city's ambitious target of 55 per cent by 2045.
The new instruction also requires civil servants to take a selfie every Wednesday as proof of compliance.
On the same day, government vehicles will be taken off the road, except for essential services. While the initiative aligns with the administration's broader commitment to promote public transportation, it has drawn criticism online.
Many users took to social media to express frustration, arguing that the policy is impractical for employees who work in suburban or outlying areas where access to public transport remains limited or nonexistent.
Akbar Kurnia Ferdiansyach, an employee at the Jakarta Public Housing and Settlement Agency, said he usually takes the commuter line (KRL) from Depok, West Java, to his office in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.
However, the 37-year-old noted that he still needs to use a motorcycle to reach Depok Station, as 'there's no feeder bus service near my home'.
Another city employee from Depok shared a similar experience, saying the lack of transport connectivity has led him to rely on his private vehicle for daily commutes.
'I find it more flexible for my workday. I don't need to order additional Gojek [online ride-hailing service],' said the 29-year-old, who asked to be identified only by the pseudonym Agung.
Still, Agung added that the mandatory weekly commute by public transport would not be too much of an inconvenience for him. - The Jakarta Post/ANN