One of Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s big initiatives has been a push to relocate residents from the city’s slum areas, especially those built around the capital’s rivers, and move them into state-owned, low-cost apartments known as rumah susun (rusun). Residents of some slum communities have fiercely fought these relocations, with one argument being that the government was moving them far from their places of business.
That remains an issue for many rusun residents, but Ahok hopes that one way the government can make it easier for them is by giving them free access to the city’s TransJakarta busway. In fact, the governor said the free facility is already in effect.
“At the moment, there is no special card for [rusun] occupants, so they just need to show their ID cards,” Ahok said at City Hall today as quoted by Tempo.
In addition, Ahok said the provincial government had prepared buses, similar in size to to Transjakarta busway buses, to serve as feeder transport for people from rusun towers going to busway stations.
Ahok admitted that many rusuns previously had inadequate access to transportation options, but said he hoped the feeder buses and free rides would help make things cheaper for rusun residents.
In addition to rusun dwellers, the government is also giving the free TransJakarta facility to residents of Pulau Seribu (The Thousand Islands) who generally do not own their own vehicles for practical reasons. It is hoped that this will help them be able to do more business with other residents of Jakarta.
