Jakarta – Millions of online motorcycle taxi drivers, or ojol, are ready to take to the streets to demonstrate if the government indeed prohibits them from purchasing subsidized fuel such as Pertalite. This was revealed by the Chairman of the Indonesian Online Motorcycle Taxi Drivers Association, Igun Wicaksono.
“If ojol drivers are unable to receive or fill up with subsidized fuel later, there will definitely be a wave of massive protests across Indonesia to oppose this decision by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia,” said Igun, quoted from Antara, Saturday (30/11/2024).
As is known, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, previously hinted at not including ojol drivers in the list of targeted fuel subsidy recipients. This is because the vehicles used by ojol are classified as business vehicles and not public transportation.
Igun considers the plan to remove subsidized fuel to be unfair and not in favor of the small people. According to him, many ojol drivers struggle to meet their daily needs, even to buy subsidized fuel.
“Let alone buying non-subsidized fuel, sometimes to fill up with subsidized fuel, these ojol drivers have to exchange it for hunger on the streets so that their motorcycles can keep operating,” said Igun.
Therefore, they hope that the Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming administration can pay attention to and improve the welfare of ojol drivers, one of which is by not removing subsidized fuel for them.
“This ojol’s income is minimal, and they have become cash cows for the application companies. Where is the conscience for the small people who work as ojol,” he said.
He emphasized that the impact of limiting or removing fuel subsidies for ojol would cause inflation to soar, as the four million ojol across Indonesia serve around 21 million users of ojol services.
Then, 60-70 percent of ojol drivers work as goods delivery or courier services, which are the backbone of the digital economy.
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