By Ahmad Fuad Yahya

JAKARTA, June 14 (Bernama) -- An increase in groping on public buses has forced bus service provider in Jakarta, Transjakarta, to provide separate boarding entrances for men and women on their buses, starting Thursday.


Daryati Asrining Rini, Head of TransJakarta Management Body said by segregating men and women and providing them with separate entrances to board buses would help reduce such cases.

Daryati said groping on public buses has resulted in women refusing to use public transport because even when reported to police, it would be difficult to prove such allegations.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted by Bernama in the city showed the public were still not adhering to the new ruling although posters and signboards had been put up at bus stops and stations.

Mahtisa Iswari, a woman passenger, when met by Bernama however, welcomed the new initiative, saying she would not have to tussle with the men to board the buses, but was skeptical of its implementation.

"During rush hours and a tussle against men, we are certainly going to be the losers since men are stronger," she said.

However, Indonesian Consumers Organisation (YKLI) Tulus Abadi said the new ruling was not an effective way to resolve the problem since once they go on the bus, they would continue to mix.

"The separation of men and women only happens when boarding the buses, but once they are up there, women would continue to encounter problems," said Tulus who is also a member of the Kota Jakarta transport council.

He added that groping becomes rampant during overcrowding in buses, because passengers would have wait for 15 or 20 minutes to board a bus as there are less than 500 buses to serve about 252,000 passengers every day.

Since the number of buses are not sufficient, overcrowding becomes a norm and results in groping cases, he said.

-- BERNAMA