New rule: South Jakarta officials must ride bikes

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 01/13/2009 8:41 PM  |  Jakarta

In an environmental ruling announced Tuesday, South Jakarta's Mayor Syahrul Effendi has officially proclaimed that district heads of South Jakarta must cycle when performing their duties.

"This decision affects village and sub-district heads, as well as their representatives. This is compulsory," Syahrul said to reporters on Tuesday, at the South Jakarta Mayor's office.

He said that the ruling is one of the ways his office's is contributing to the effort to reduce the problems associated with increasing global warming.

Aside from the helping the environment, this ruling will improve the health of officials, he added. By cycling, he continued, the officials could further explore the narrow alleyways of the area and would learn more intimately about the lives of residents.

The ruling does not forbid officials from owning or driving a car. They are allowed to take their car to the office, but when they need to travel in the area on business, they must leave their car behind and use a bicycle.

The government will not give the officials funds to buy a bike. "They can buy it themselves, if not, they could borrow their son's bike, if not, they could borrow their neighbors,'" he said.

He added that the ruling is not limited to district heads and village chiefs, but also affects suku dinas (lower ranking officers) in South Jakarta. Syahrul said Peace and Order officers started cycling this Tuesday. (rid)
 

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