TASEK PAUH blogspot

Women Only Buses Introduced In Pekanbaru, Riau
By Mohd Nasir Yusoff

JAKARTA, Feb 18 (Bernama) - The administrators of Pekanbaru, the main town in Riau province in Indonesia, have introduced public buses meant only for women, a first for the republic and probably in the world.

Pekanbaru secretary Fawaz Ilyas said the move was taken because of rampant crime and sexual harrasment committed against women taking public buses.

It had also helped increase the number of people using buses, as women, especially those working away from the homes, felt more safe, he was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying.

Irma Hafidah Rahmah, the head of Iwapi, a women's organisation in Riau, welcomed the move saying they (women) had been looking forward to it for a long time.

She said it would help boost economic productivity as women now no longer needed to be afraid to go out and work to supplement their household incomes.

Meanwhile, a government officer in Pekanbaru known only as Effa, when contacted by Bernama, said that so far five buses were operating in the town area only to ferry women but plans were in the works to expand the fleet and widen coverage.

The drivers and conductors of the special buses were still men as women in Pekanbaru shied away from the jobs, she said, adding that there were also no restrictions on women from using the normal buses.

Labels: Berita, Indonesia, Luar Negeri