Thousands of motorcycle taxi drivers protested on Tuesday March 27 to demand that the government help them get higher pay from the ride-hailing services they work with.
The protest occurred on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta, and the drivers, who reportedly did not only come from the Jakarta area but also from Tangerang, Bekasi and Bogor, were rallying from Jl. MH Thamrin to the Presidential Palace.
The rally caused traffic congestion on Jl. MH Thamrin, causing Jakarta Police to divert traffic in the area.
The drivers conveyed disappointment over what they call low fares paid by customers, which translates into low income for them.
“We want the companies to increase the fares, which have been inhumane lately,” Adi, one of the protesters, told kompas.com.
Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said thousands of personnel had been deployed to secure the protest, and added that representatives of the drivers would be allowed to convey their aspirations to the Presidential Palace.
Source: The Jakarta Post
Photo courtesy of Kompas.com