Presidential candidate Anies Baswedan greeted supporters at the Laga Satria Stadium in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday on his first day on the campaign trail. Among his pledges, Anies promised to improve public transportation on the Bogor-Jakarta route to make it more accessible.

Acknowledging the substantial number of Bogor residents commuting to Jakarta using the commuter railway line, Anies underscored that affordable and accessible transportation would be advantageous for many.

“Using private vehicles takes a considerable amount of time and the costs are high, right? Public transportation, on the other hand, has limited travel time,” Anies said in remarks in front of supporters, as quoted by state news agency Antara.

“One of our objectives, similar to what we have done in Jakarta, is to establish a broader and more affordable public transportation system so that our citizens can easily reach their workplaces,” he said.

After the event, Anies returned to Jakarta using the commuter line. At Bogor Station and on the train, he discussed the challenges the government faced in expanding public transportation.

“I see that in the future our challenges will get bigger, and one of the fastest solutions is to increase public transportation facilities so that residents transition from private vehicles to public vehicles,” Anies told a local news outlet.

He explained that the development of public transportation must also be adjusted to the conditions of the city in question, as each city has different needs. As such, he stressed the importance of tailoring the development of public transportation to each city's unique conditions.

“Public transportation facilities, such as trains or systems like TransJakarta, are models that can be adapted based on the specific conditions of each city. Therefore, there cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution,” he said.

In addition to improving public transportation, Anies proposed several other programs during his campaign in Bogor, namely affordable housing and food.

Bogor was Anies's third campaign stop after Tanah Merah in North Jakarta and Ciracas in East Jakarta. With a population of 5.6 million people, Bogor regency holds the largest population in West Java, making it a crucial area in the election contest, according to Anies.

“That’s the reason why [we are here in Bogor on the first day]. This is a very strategic place,” Anies said, as quoted by local media.

Expressing gratitude for the Bogor campaign, he said, “Alhamdulillah [thank God], you can see the extraordinary enthusiasm of the residents.”

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