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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

KAI Explains Rationale for Women's Train Car Placement Amid Safety Concerns

From Tempo · (8m ago) Indonesian Mixed tone

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) explains that women's train cars are placed at the front and rear for comfort and to prevent violence, not due to different safety levels.
  • The Minister of Women's Empowerment proposed placing these cars in the middle of the train for improved safety, citing a recent accident where most victims were women.
  • KAI prioritizes passenger comfort and safety, while the ministry emphasizes that safety must be the primary concern in future evaluations.

The placement of dedicated women's train cars on Indonesia's electric trains (KRL) has become a topic of discussion, with PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) defending its current practice. KAI President Director Bobby Rasyid stated that positioning these cars at the front and rear of the train is primarily aimed at ensuring passenger comfort and preventing violence against women. He stressed that this arrangement does not imply any difference in safety standards between male and female passengers.

We do not differentiate between the safety levels of women and men

— Bobby RasyidPT KAI President Director Bobby Rasyid clarifying that the placement of women's cars is not about differing safety levels.

However, this rationale has been challenged by the Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, Arifatul Choiri Fauzi. Following a recent train accident in East Bekasi, where a majority of the victims were reportedly women in the special cars, the minister proposed relocating these cars to the middle of the train. This suggestion is rooted in a desire to enhance safety, with men's cars potentially occupying the front and rear positions.

We propose that women's cars be placed in the middle

— Arifatul Choiri FauziMinister of Women's Empowerment Arifatul Choiri Fauzi suggesting a change in the placement of women's cars.

The differing perspectives highlight a crucial debate on public transportation safety in Indonesia. While KAI focuses on comfort and crime prevention through strategic placement, the ministry is prioritizing a more direct safety approach, especially in light of recent tragic events. The incident has underscored the need for continuous evaluation of safety protocols, with the ministry emphasizing that safety must be the paramount consideration in all future decisions regarding train car arrangements. This discussion is vital for ensuring that public transport remains a secure and accessible option for all passengers, particularly women.

Safety must be the primary concern

— Arifatul Choiri FauziMinister Arifatul emphasizing the importance of safety in future evaluations of train car arrangements.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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