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Editorial: Fauzi's psywar
Sat, 03/22/2008 1:42 PM | Opinion
Since taking on the Jakarta governorship last October, Fauzi Bowo has been engaged in a quiet psychological warfare with motorists, particularly due to his insistence on expanding the network of busway lanes across the sprawling city.
In almost each and every battle so far, the governor has prevailed. Motorists may curse and despise him, but the spine of Fauzi's support does not come from the streets, but rather from the Jakarta legislative council.
The council appears to be backing his aims of imposing traffic laws and easing congestion.
His latest victory came when he banned cars from using busway lanes during rush hour. Authorities initially had relented and allowed cars and motorcycles to move into the lanes when traffic was at its worst, but that is no longer the case.
Motorists have to either put up or shut up. Governor Fauzi has a new task cut out for him: the introduction of more busway lanes at the expense of regular car lanes. Let's see who blinks first, the governor or the motorists.
In the absence of a more efficient mass rapid transit system, it still makes sense for new busway lanes to be built. They are inexpensive and achievable within a short period of time, while alternatives, including a subway or monorail, remain costly and are long term.
While Jakarta awaits the arrival of the illusive monorail and subway, we will have to make do with the busway system. As with the introduction of any new traffic policy, there are winners and losers.
Fauzi's task here, in order to nurture widespread support, including from the elected council members and the general public, is to show there are more winners than losers.
The introduction of the busway by then governor Sutiyoso in 2004 eventually won widespread support in spite of early strong public opposition and protests.
Once travel time between Blok M, in the south, and Kota, in the north, had been proven to be reduced from two hours to a mere 20 to 25 minutes, more and more people heralded the busway.
Although some people have started to leave their cars behind, in the absence of a more elaborate busway network and an effective feeder system, many people are still forced to drive their cars or ride their motorbikes.
This is perhaps the crux of the problem. The ongoing construction of busway lanes and stations has been painfully slow. It has added to the congestion by narrowing many busy roads to single lanes or by converting them into two-lane streets.
Constant rain has not helped to cool the situation.
Governor Fauzi could have avoided motorist woes had the construction of the busway system been better coordinated.
Today, we are left with unused lanes, incomplete stations, insufficient bus numbers due to import restraints and the absence of a promised network of feeder buses.
Overcrowded buses along many routes have resulted in a decrease in efficiency and the inevitable reversion by many commuters to their private transportation mode, and further congestion.
A casual observer may agree that Jakarta, as opposed to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, is the capital of the motorcycle.
With traffic getting worse by the day, motorcycles have become the preferred mode of transportation for many Jakartans. It may be the fastest option, but not necessarily the safest or most convenient.
There is no going back now for Fauzi. The new busway corridors have been built, and now we must simply await the completion of the remaining stations and the arrival of more buses.
There are bound to be initial strains when the new corridors are opened, and Governor Fauzi will simply have to take the curses that fly from the mouths of motorists stuck in traffic.
In this ongoing psywar, the governor will either back off from his plan, or more motorists will simply have to leave their cars at home.
We all know who is going to blink first. Let's just hope that when the time comes, Fauzi will have his act together and will have made the transition from private to public transportation as painless as possible.
