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Public transportation services in Jakarta grind to halt due to jobs law protests
As of 2 p.m., crowds of protesters had gathered near the State Palace at the Arjuna Wijaya monument, also known as the Horse Statue, in Central Jakarta.
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Passengers sit inside a Transjakarta bus in Jakarta on April 10, 2020. (Antara/Aprillio Akbar)
S
ome public transportation companies across Jakarta have halted their services as the capital braces for yet another round of large-scale protests against the controversial Job Creation Law.
City-owned MRT Jakarta spokesperson Muhamad Kamaluddin said in a written statement on Tuesday that six of the company’s underground stations and one elevated station would be temporarily closed starting at 1 p.m.
The closure was a precautionary measure for potential public order and safety disruptions resulting from the protests, he said.
“MRT now only serves trips at six elevated stations, from Lebak Bulus Grab Station to Blok M BCA Station,” Kamaluddin said, while calling on all MRT passengers to remain vigilant and exercise caution amid the demonstrations.
City-owned bus operator Transjakarta took even more drastic measures, announcing on social media that it would temporarily suspend services at all bus stations across the city.
INFO I Mohon Maaf, mengingat situasi yang tidak kondusif, demi menjaga keamanan dan kenyamanan. Saat ini seluruh layanan Transjakarta sementara tidak dapat melayani pelanggan. #JAKI #PerluTahu
— Transportasi Jakarta (@PT_Transjakarta) October 13, 2020
“Apologies. Given the unfavorable circumstances, all Transjakarta services are temporarily [suspended] to ensure safety and convenience,” the company wrote on its official Twitter page.
Previous rallies against the law in Jakarta on Thursday resulted in damages to 25 Transjakarta bus stations, according to authorities.
As of this time of writing, commuter line operator PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI) is still operating as normal.
Read also: Six governors have asked Jokowi to revoke or reconsider jobs law
Several groups, including the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and the 212 Alumni Brotherhood (PA 212), went ahead with their planned demonstrations on Tuesday to demand that the government revoke the omnibus law.
As of 2 p.m., crowds of protesters had gathered near the State Palace at the Arjuna Wijaya monument, also known as the Horse Statue, in Central Jakarta.
Around 12,000 joint police and military personnel were prepared to ensure public safety and security in the capital, according to the Jakarta Police.
Following days of rallies that began last week, labor groups and student associations have decided to refrain from joining Tuesday’s protests.
Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) chairman Said Iqbal said the group did not have any protests planned on Tuesday.
“There’s no specific reason why. There just aren’t any demonstrations planned,” he said as quoted by kompas.com.
Similarly, National Association of University Student Executive Bodies (BEM-SI) coordinator Remy Hastian said none of its members would take to the streets the demonstrations on Tuesday.
