KCI, a subsidiary of state-owned PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), had previously planned to conduct a trial run of KRL Premium, a pricier commuter line service with different seats and only stopping at selected stations, in mid 2019.

“PT KCI has listened to input and consultations with several stakeholders over the past few days about the plan for KRL Premium in the middle of 2019, and from that PT KCI decided to cancel the plan,” KCI spokesperson Eva Chairunnisa said in a written statement on Sunday.

The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), who among others opposed the KRL Premium plan, lauded the cancellation, saying that KCI finally listened to the public regarding the plan.

“The YLKI supports PT KCI if it focuses on improving its services, as it is their responsibility to offer prime, universal and highly reliable services, not discriminatory services such as different classes of commuter line,” YLKI chairman Tulus Abadi said.

He said that no commuter line management in the world had different classes of service.

“Let the executive commuter line Pakuan remain in the history books, don’t resurrect it with irrelevant reasons,” Tulu said, referring to a commuter line service in the 2000s.

He said the government should also not burden KAI with infrastructure projects that were not in line with KAI's business plan.

“The YLKI also requested that the government consistently liquefy its PSO [service obligation] and pay PT KAI their IMO funds [infrastructure, maintenance, operation] so PT KAI’s services to its consumers are undisturbed and not downgraded because of the company’s financial cash flow problems,” Tulus said.

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