REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- House of Representatives (DPR) Chairman Marzuki Alie has expressed concern about the Jakarta city administration's policy to import Chinese buses, emphasizing that it goes against its intention to strengthen the domestic industry.

"Regardless of whether the buses are damaged or secondhand, the policy is not favorable for the domestic industry. Neither it is in line with our objective to build and encourage the domestic industry," he noted here on Thursday.

Marzuki stated that the nation has proven its capability to develop domestic industries. If the Jakarta city administration is willing to contribute towards the growth of the national economy, then they should not import buses.

The policy to import buses reflects that the city administration has no intentions to build the national economy, he emphasized.

"We have evaluated the fact that the buses built by the domestic coachwork industry can technically compete with similar ones produced in other countries," he claimed.

The domestically produced buses are widely used in Indonesia and abroad.

"Why should we import buses? If we want to develop the domestic economy, then why should we import buses?" he questioned.

The locally-made buses are much better than those imported by the Jakarta city government from China, he noted.

"We are able to manufacture better buses than China. So, I am deeply concerned about the policy," he stated.

Importing buses not only reduces foreign exchange, but it also denies Indonesians the valuable opportunity to work in the engineering industry, he claimed.

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