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overnor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says that his proposal to acquire state-owned bus company PT Pengangkutan Penumpang Djakarta (PPD) has been approved by State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan.

The governor said that the acquisition might ease the city administration’s effort to integrate all public transportation means in the capital.

“The state-owned enterprises minister has okayed [the proposal]. Now we are waiting for [the approval of] the finance minister,” Jokowi told reporters at City Hall on Monday, declining to elaborate further on the details.

“Once the PPD becomes a province-owned company, it will be under one legal umbrella along with Kopaja, Metromini and Bajaj,” he added.

The governor said that integrating the management of the public transportation modes in the capital would make it easier to manage and control them.

PPD was one of the four loss-making firms, along with PT Balai Pustaka, shipping firm Djakarta Lloyd and the State-owned Movie Industry (PFN), which are scheduled to be shut down by the enterprises ministry this year.

Jokowi played down assumptions that the acquisition would be counterproductive, particularly given the fact that the company had debts totaling Rp 170 billion (US$17.68 million).

“We are still undergoing due diligence processes, but please don’t think only about the debt. [the PPD] has many assets as well. But I don’t want to precede the process, I am being careful about this. I’ll speak about the calculations once it’s done,” he said.

The PPD’s assets include a 4.1-hectare plot in Ciputat with a taxable property value of Rp 6.15 trillion and a 6-hectare plot of land worth Rp 10.2 trillion. These assets are believed to be able support the city’s intention to expand Jakarta’s public transportation routes.

Jokowi said he believed that the move was in line with the city’s programs to improve public transportation, as well as to tighten regulations in order to prevent crimes aboard public transportation.

His statement came shortly after a recent incident in which a University of Indonesia student was killed jumping out of a moving public minivan, locally known as angkot, because she suspected that driver might by trying to kidnap her after he diverted from the usual route.

Last Wednesday, 20-year-old nursing student Annisa Azwar was riding a U10 public minivan to her aunt’s house in Pademangan, North Jakarta, when the driver — whom police have named a suspect for negligence and traffic violations — drove her in the wrong direction, causing her to panic.

Annisa died at Koja Hospital on Sunday from head injuries she sustained as she jumped from the
angkot.

Police are still investigating whether the driver had any criminal intent when making his detour.

The incident has sparked concerns among residents of Greater Jakarta about the safety of the city’s public transportation.

“I am worried. My mom is worried. I think everyone who uses public transportation every day will be,” Yuliansari, a Bekasi resident working in Central Jakarta, said, adding that she expected a tighter monitoring system from relevant authorities.

The incident also reminded her of a similar case that occurred in 2011. Four men were sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and premeditated murder of Bina Nusantara University student Livia Pavita Soelistiyo’s on board a public minivan in August 2011.

Livia was on a M24 public minivan that served the Srengseng–Kebon Jeruk route, as she headed home to Jelambar, West Jakarta.

The driver, 19-year-old Muhammad Fahri, played loud music to cover Livia’s screams. The men robbed and then strangled Livia to death with ropes they found in the minivan, before dumping her body in a drain in Cisauk, Tangerang. (fzm)