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Ahok threatens to revoke permits of companies whose cabbies involved in violence
Several taxi drivers out of thousands that participated in protests in the capital city park their taxis in front of the House of Representatives on Jl
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span class="inline inline-center">Several taxi drivers out of thousands that participated in protests in the capital city park their taxis in front of the House of Representatives on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta on Tuesday. The drivers demanded that the government close down the operation of application-based transportation services such as Uber, Grab and Gojek, which they claim are illegal and eat into their incomes.(thejakartapost.com/Wienda Parwitasari)
The Jakarta administration has threatened to revoke the licenses of taxi companies whose drivers were involved in violence during Tuesday's protests in the capital city.
The Jakarta administration has formed a working group to accelerate Jakarta's development, which included the stipulation that protests be conducted in an orderly fashion, Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said on his official Twitter account on Tuesday.
"I will revoke the business licenses of all taxi companies that do not take action against the rogue drivers that caused damage," Ahok tweeted through his verified account @basuki_btp to his 4.5 million followers.
The threat was issued through a formal circular by the Jakarta Transportation Agency to 34 taxi companies operating in the capital.
The circular warned that damage to various public facilities and public vehicles must be taken seriously by taxi companies.
"We ask you to take the firm action of employment termination for taxi drivers proven to have conducted anarchic acts. If you don't comply, we will revoke your licenses," stated the letter signed by Jakarta Transportation Agency head Andri Yansyah on Tuesday.
At least 10,000 taxi, public bus and bajaj drivers protested on Tuesday in several locations in Jakarta to demand that the government close down ride-hailing applications such as Uber, Grab and Gojek, claiming their operations ate into the incomes of conventional taxi drivers.
The taxi drivers also attacked colleagues who picked up passengers on the day of the protests.
They damaged the taxis and forced passengers to get out of the taxis in the middle of the street. One such incident took place on the innercity toll road along Jl. Gatot Subroto outside the House of Representatives in South Jakarta.
Taxi drivers were also involved in brawls with Gojek drivers near Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta, which brought traffic to a standstill.
A brawl also took place in front of the State Palace, where taxi drivers were also demonstrating.
Hundreds of taxi drivers threw soil and water bottles at Gojek drivers passing the road near the palace. Gojek drivers shouted back at the taxi drivers.
However, Suharto from the Association of Road Transportation Drivers (PPAD) managed to calm down the protestors and told them not to be so easily provoked.
The Gojek drivers then continued their trips while the police guarding the State Palace looked on. (rin)
