As an MRT train car filled with sunlight after emerging from a tunnel in Senayan, South Jakarta, on Sunday, hundreds of passengers clapped and cheered.

The passengers, mostly families and groups of friends, were Greater Jakarta residents who were trying out the city’s first subway system, which was officially inaugurated on Sunday by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

“Today marks the beginning of a new era as the first phase of MRT operations officially begins,” Jokowi said in his speech before hundreds of Jakartans during a Car Free Day event in Central Jakarta.

The first phase of the MRT Jakarta project covered the construction of 13 stations along a 15.7-kilometer route from Lebak Bulus Station in South Jakarta to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta.

Over the last 12 days, members of the public have flocked to the stations to enjoy the MRT’s trial run for free after registering online at ayocobamrtj.com, which will operate until next Sunday.

The inauguration also marked the groundbreaking ceremony for the second phase of the MRT, which will span 7.8 km, connecting the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle to Kota Station in West Jakarta. The project is expected to be completed by 2024.

The President also called on the public to be responsible when using the MRT, avoid littering inside the train and in stations, wait in orderly lines and be punctual.

“The [MRT] is part of a new culture because this is a first in Indonesia,” Jokowi said. “Unless we are willing to adapt to a new culture, there will be no point in having the MRT.”

During the trial on Sunday, security guards and MRT employees inside the stations constantly reminded passengers not to sit on the floor and not to eat or drink, they also attempted to keep people moving as many of them stopped to take pictures and snap selfies inside the station.

One of the passengers, Ryanto Gunawan, 25, boarded the MRT at Dukuh Atas Station to go to Bundaran HI Station. “I am curious and I want to experience the MRT.”

He praised the comfortable train cars and modern stations, as well as how quietly the train moved, even though it was packed with passengers.

However, he noticed that sometimes the announcements at stations telling passengers about schedules and reminding passengers of travel etiquette were not loud enough.

Another passenger, 45-year-old Uri who boarded the MRT with his wife and two children, pointed out the indiscipline of passengers who were unwilling to stand in line.

“Passengers’ awareness is still lacking,” Uri said.

He said that MRT officers around the stations should constantly inform passengers so that they learn the etiquette of riding on modern public transportation.

Passenger behavior also triggered a discourse on social media about etiquette while riding the mass transit system.

Pictures of litter dropped inside an MRT station and even some passengers sitting on the floor while eating and drinking uploaded by Instagram account @jktinfo received over 100,000 likes.

Instagram handler @kevinmkf commented “Do they really need to eat inside [an MRT station]? So infuriating [...]”

However, some netizens did not agree with calling out passengers through social media instead of directly face-to-face, saying by doing so they were shaming people who were simply excited about trying out the newest public infrastructure.

Facebook user Kartika Jahja wrote “We should not scold on social media the people that some consider ‘unethical’ because they litter or not do not stand in line while boarding the MRT. If it happened right before your eyes it’s okay to scold them directly. But should we publicly shame them on social media? Especially bringing up class issues and suggesting that the MRT should be open only to better class people to set an example of a disciplined culture. Hahahaha. Are you sure middle and upper class people are role models?”

Separately, city-owned firm PT MRT Jakarta corporate secretary Muhammad Kamaluddin said in a written statement that the company regretted some of the behavior of passengers that had gone viral, and reminded passengers to heed the rules in MRT stations and trains.

In attempt to educate the public, MRT Jakarta has published a comic book, titled Guidebook for MRT Jakarta Passengers to educate people about the MRT and simple commuting etiquette.

Previously the firm also published a video entitled Guide to five behaviors on public transportation on its Instagram account last week, which received many criticisms because of rules against snoring or putting on makeup on MRT trains.

The MRT will start commercial operations on April 1, although the fares are yet to be set. The city council will hold a hearing session discussing the fares on Monday.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said that during the first month of commercial operations, the MRT would deploy eight trains from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. The number of trains will later be increased to 16 and run from 5 a.m. to midnight.

“In the meantime, the MRT has been integrated with Transjakarta and, God willing, the service will soon be integrated with commuter trains,” Anies said.

The administration’s overall plan is to create an integrated public transportation system that includes the MRT, the light rapid transit (LRT) system, Transjakarta and the airport train.

The President said he expected commuters to gradually switch to riding the MRT and other public transportation means to get around Greater Jakarta, especially since more routes would be available in the future.

The government has set a target of completing the integrated system within 10 years. Jokowi said its total investment would be Rp 571 trillion (US$40.12 billion).

Popular

RI, Australia strengthen partnership on taxing crypto assets

Analysis: Indonesia denies normalization with Israel to enter OECD

Citroen to produce electric cars in Indonesia