The Indonesian government today enforced a ban on the ‘ojek’ or motorcycle taxi because it does not meet public transportation requirements, according to local media reports.

The reports quoted Djoko Sasono, director-general of land transportation of the Transportation Ministry, as saying that Minister Ignasius Jonan issued a notice on the matter recently.

The ministry prohibits all kinds of ‘ojek’, including those offering their services online, he said.

“Whatever it may be called, Go-Jek, Go-Box, Grab Bike, Grab Car, Blue Jek, Lady-Jek, it is banned,” he said.

Djoko said the letter on the ban had been circulated to the traffic police, district police stations and governors’ offices throughout the country.

He said the ‘ojek’ did not meet the requirements under the road transportation legislation.

Public transportation requires that the vehicle must have at least three wheels as well as meet the relevant requirements, he said.

The ban, however, does not seem to have had any effect as yet on those providing the ‘ojek’ service, according to a check by Bernama.

People continued to make use of the service, especially when travelling from their offices to the railway station, so as to avoid getting caught in the infamous Jakarta traffic congestion.

- Bernama