UNAIR NEWS The government through the Ministry of Transportation plans to differentiate electric train (KRL) fares based on the economic status of passengers.Passengers with rich status must pay normal fares, while passengers with poor financial will get subsidies.Even though it favors the lower class of society, this policy incites pros and cons from various groups.
As a response, UNAIRsociologistProf. Dr. Bagong Suyanto, Drs MSi said that classifying people based on economic class is a common thing in determining public policy, especially when it comes to adjusting subsidies.
However, according to Prof. Bagong, the government tends to ignore the reality that social class and economic status are sensitive issues in Indonesia. 淎ctually, it is common in terms of public policies and services. It means some groups pay more, while others pay less, said Prof. Bagong to UNAIR NEWS on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
淗owever, in Indonesia, people檚 socio-economic status is a sensitive issue. So, if we differentiate this way, using the terms rich and poor might hurt certain circles, he added.
Does it really trigger social conflict?
Various parties tend to doubt the discourse on changing the KRL fares, not only for its effectiveness but also from a social aspect. There is a potential for horizontal conflict among communities. However, Prof. Bagong believes that the policy does not have the potential to cause friction in society.
With their economic status, the upper middle class should understand the purpose of this policy. Hopefully, it can reduce the occurrence of conflict and friction in society.
淲ill it trigger a conflict? I don檛 think so. I think those from the upper middle class are not the ones who demand what has been paid. It means they also have to know and understand the direction and goal of this policy, said Prof. Bagong.
Furthermore, the government needs to anticipate different reactions from lower middle-class communities. Categorizing poor communities explicitly may hurt them.
淚t檚 worrying if the poor are exposed as if their status is a burden. Perhaps another term should be sought. Or maybe making special tickets as markers of those who can afford it and those who can檛 afford it, he explained.
Need for wider terminology
According to Prof. Bagong, using terms like 檞hite collar, 榯he poor, and 榯he rich is unnecessary. It is not surprising that this policy has generated various reactions due to the use of inappropriate terminology.
淚n my opinion, this is just a matter of terminology. I think the government thinks that the upper middle class can help the lower classes, but the words used are inappropriate, and unwise, explained Prof. Bagong.
Furthermore, the lecturer born in Nganjuk said that the government should be careful in choosing a more appropriate terminology. The government needs to be wiser in expressing its goals and objectives so as not to trigger public upheaval.
淚 think what檚 more important is how the government can convey this discourse with the right terminology, so it doesn檛 trigger offense or uproar, he concluded.
Author: Yulia Rohmawati
Editor: Kehfti Al Mawalia
