TransJakarta to Use Face Recognition System: Stop Sexual Harassment

VIVA – The Indonesian bus rapid transit transportation, TransJakarta, will use a face recognition system to stop sexual harassment on public transportation.

“If the perpetrator’s face is detected on camera, then that person will be blocked from accessing the TransJakarta service,” Acting Governor of Jakarta, Heru Budi Hartono said in Jakarta, on Friday.

The implementation of face recognition will be used after discussions with TransJakarta and the DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency, Hartono added.

Previously, PT Transportasi Jakarta (TransJakarta) deployed uniformed security staff, who will patrol all of the armadas to anticipate and minimize instances of sexual harassment.

Before this, the security staff was stationed at bus stops to prevent criminal acts, Head of Company Secretary at TransJakarta Apriastini Bakti Bugiansri stated in a statement on Tuesday.

However, to handle sexual predators, these security workers are assigned to monitor TransJakarta buses, he stated.

These security staffs are part of TransJakarta's efforts to reduce cases of sexual harassment and improve passengers' security and comfort. This is also undertaken to respond to the acting governor's recent request.

This is conducted to strengthen existing efforts, such as by providing a special space for women in every bus armada complemented with a CCTV camera.

Based on the video that has been circulating, Bugainsri gave attention to a case of alleged sexual harassment of a woman passenger. This incident occurred when the woman was riding a bus driving on the Harmoni-Pulogadung route (Corridor 2) on Monday at 7:45 p.m. local time.

TransJakarta's other effort involves expanding the operation of the pink bus armada specifically for women.