Ahok issues minivan threat

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The Jakarta administration has warned the operators of public minivans, popularly known as angkot, not to loiter on the road side for passengers or, their tires will be flattened.

Deputy Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said at City Hall on Monday that the Jakarta Transportation Agency would record the route of the minivans that always park on the road side but only resume the journey after they are full of passengers.

Their presence, he said, slowed traffic and caused congestion.

"The agency has prepared some sanctions against them," he said.

Agency head Udar Pristono said the traffic officers at his office would flatten the tires of the minivans and record their operational permits.

"If they repeat the offense, we will eventually revoke the permits," he said.

Udar said his agency had been flattening the tires of hundreds of motorcycles since last week.

The agency raided illegal parking areas at the Roxy shopping center in West Jakarta and will hold another crack down in the Kebon Sirih and Sabang areas in Central Jakarta.