Gorontalo | Jamkrindo
The rapid dynamics and developments in society, along with highly diverse transportation needs, have sparked innovation. One example can be found in Gorontalo. In this city, with a population of approximately 1.1 million people, a new transportation alternative has emerged: the Motorized Rickshaw, commonly known as Bentor.
Bentor drivers and entrepreneurs, who fall under the MSME (Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises and Cooperatives) sector, have actually been around in Gorontalo for quite some time. On one hand, Bentor provides a solution to transportation issues and offers alternative employment opportunities for the community. On the other hand, it poses a problem due to its design not meeting the required standards, as it has not passed the mandatory type-testing conducted by the Directorate General of Land Transportation's Vehicle Roadworthiness Testing and Certification Center.
This has been one of the main obstacles preventing Bentor from obtaining clear legal status. In several regions where Bentor has become popular, there have been challenges in legalizing its existence.
There are several aspects contributing to this challenge, including:
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Legal Aspect:
In this context, Bentor is considered not to meet traffic standards and ethics according to Law No. 22 of 2009. It also contradicts the Decision of the Directorate General of Land Transportation No. 1109/AJ.402/DRJD/2008 concerning the Approval of Design and Engineering of Three-Wheeled Motor Vehicle Bodies for Passenger Transport. -
Technical Aspect:
From a technical perspective, Bentor poses safety concerns as the passengers sit in front, while the vehicle only has rear brakes. This increases the risk of accidents, especially during sudden braking, as passengers could be thrown forward. Additionally, the maximum load capacity of the motorbike is 100 kg, while the empty weight of the Bentor itself already reaches 200 kg.
Despite not yet having clear legal status, Bentor, which is considered a unique vehicle in Gorontalo, is expected to gain government recognition soon.
This follows the initiative of the Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (Menkop-UKM), Anak Agung Ngurah (AAGN) Puspayoga, who plans to advocate for the copyright of Bentor. The reason behind this is to prevent the design and production of Bentor in Gorontalo from being claimed by others.
According to AAGN Puspayoga, the intended copyright for Bentor relates to its original invention and creation. The granting of copyright aims to ensure that Bentor, as a product of the people and MSMEs in Gorontalo, cannot be claimed by external parties.
"The most important thing right now is securing the copyright. We will make efforts to follow this up," emphasized AAGN Puspayoga while instructing Braman Setyo, MSi, Deputy for Business Development and Restructuring at the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, to take further action.
Braman, in a text message on June 7, 2015, stated that he would immediately process the copyright application for Bentor at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham). He also highlighted that the most crucial aspect is enabling Bentor owners throughout Gorontalo to access credit facilities to grow their businesses.
"If they apply for credit, all Bentor owners will be guaranteed by Perum Jamkrindo," said Braman, who is also the Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Perum Jamkrindo.
Regarding the fact that Bentor has not yet been officially recognized as a transportation mode by the Ministry of Transportation, Minister Puspayoga believes this is not an issue. He cited the example of traditional cycle rickshaws (becak), which were once widely used across Indonesia.
"In those cases, passengers also sat in front, yet becak became the most widely used means of transport in the past. This is for the people, for MSMEs," he said.
"I believe that as long as it benefits the community, there should be no problem. We at the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs will first assist in handling the copyright process. After that, we will try to coordinate with the Ministry of Transportation to assess its roadworthiness," he concluded.
(Gorontalo Pos.com, team)