After years of little change, Jakarta may soon see a major shift in how its parking system operates. With the city’s parking arrangements largely unchanged over the last 15 years, the Jakarta Provincial Government is now actively considering several new ideas, including a move toward fully cashless payments.
One of the most discussed proposals is the formation of a new regionally owned enterprise (BUMD) to take charge of parking management throughout the city. This plan, suggested by the Jakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD DKI), is now being reviewed more seriously by city officials.
“Yes, we will discuss it in more detail,” said Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo at City Hall on Tuesday, May 20.
Pramono acknowledged that no major improvements have been made to Jakarta’s parking system in more than a decade. To make things more efficient and orderly, he voiced strong support for switching to a non-cash (cashless) model. “I hope we can handle this soon,” he said, expressing optimism that the new system could streamline operations and strengthen oversight.
The discussion around reform was partly driven by concerns over illegal parking, which has become rampant in many parts of the city. Hardiyanto Kenneth, a member of Commission C in the DPRD DKI Jakarta from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), raised alarm over the revenue lost due to uncontrolled parking practices. According to him, the scale of financial leakage could reach trillions of rupiah annually.
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“We all know that illegal parking is mostly controlled by ormas. If this is left unchecked, the revenue loss will continue. Based on my rough calculations, the leakage from this parking issue could reach trillions,” Kenneth warned.
He noted that many illegal parking spots are currently operated by mass organizations (ormas), and suggested a different approach: inviting these groups to collaborate instead of pushing them out. In his view, cooperation could help prevent further revenue loss for the region.
Kenneth also argued that parking operations should be opened up for public tenders and managed by private entities. “If managed by private parties, all rules and agreements would be more clearly defined,” he said, emphasizing the importance of transparent and accountable systems.
As the city deliberates these reforms, the introduction of a cashless parking system and clearer management structures could mark a turning point in how Jakarta handles one of its most persistent urban issues.
