Closing the return of "brown envelopes" on the ASDP Kupang ship

This appeal began to be intensively implemented at the end of December 2023 after ASDP Kupang received attention regarding transactions in the ship's business class. At that time there was no notice at the counter so passengers bought economy class tickets. Arriving on the ship, they fought over business class space by paying IDR 50,000 to the officer.

Usually, the money is collected by officials in a large brown envelope. "The money is not deposited into the office and does not become ASDP's income. The money is used for the needs on board the ship. However, there is already operational money on every ship," said Business Manager of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) Branch in Kupang, Andri Matte.

The disclosure of the "brown envelope" practice occurred when Andri together with the Head of Representative NTT Ombudsman Darius Bede Daton carried out a surprise inspection (sidak) on the ship. The examination was based on the findings of the NTT Ombudsman. Indeed, fighting over business class space on ASDP Kupang Branch ships has been commonplace for years. The results of the inspection become material for evaluation and improvement.

Andri then gathered the ground personnel and the ship's captain. Several crew members involved in the transaction on the ship were transferred for deterrence effect. He is committed to continuing with improvements in the future. "Not everyone likes this transformation, but we need to start," he said.

Encouraging people to purchase business class tickets at the counter through announcements made via loudspeaker or approaching potential passengers is part of the innovation to improve services. Over time, changes have started to appear although they have not been significant. "Now there is an increase in demand for business class tickets," he said.

According to him, the behavior of prospective passengers also determines the smoothness of service transformation. Passengers should not repeat old patterns that actually harm other passengers. By purchasing an economy class ticket, and then paying Rp 50,000 to get a business class space, passengers actually spend more money.

As in the Kupang-Larantuka route, the economy class ticket price for adult passengers is Rp 126,000. If an additional Rp 50,000 is added for the ferry, the amount spent becomes Rp 176,000. However, if passengers buy business tickets directly at the counter, they only have to spend Rp 157,000. Such calculations are continuously being socialized.

Don't let economy class go, then be charged IDR 50,000. Who profits?

Ansel Kapitan (40), an ASDP ship passenger, revealed that there are passengers who are reluctant to buy business class tickets for fear of not getting a seat in the business class area when they are already on board. They prefer to buy economy class tickets and pay an additional Rp 50,000 on board. Often, fellow passengers compete for beds in the business class area.

He suggests that ships place security personnel at the entrance of the business class cabin to inspect every passenger entering to ensure they have a business class ticket. "Don't let economy class be neglected, and then charged Rp 50,000. Who benefits?" he said.

Amid these challenges, ASDP continues to make improvements. ASDP began operating in NTT in 1986 and now sails nine ships serving 57 routes. ASDP is a favorite transportation among the people of NTT. In 2022, in NTT, ASDP ships made 1,691 trips carrying 134,502 passengers and 48,766 two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles or more.

In 2023, there was significant growth, with a total of 7,413 trips carrying 394,213 passengers and 122,940 various vehicles. With this increase, ASDP Kupang was awarded by the central ASDP in Jakarta as the branch with the highest growth in Indonesia.

Also read: ASDP Ships are the Backbone of Logistics Transport in NTT

Transformation and innovation

Head of the National Ombudsman Representation in NTT, Darius B Daton, said that out of all public service sectors monitored by the Ombudsman, ASDP is one of the sectors with a high complaint rate. Darius also appreciates the various efforts made to improve ASDP services. Now, the practice of "brown envelopes" is no longer visible on the ships.

Darius, who often conducts inspections at the port, still encounters various problems, such as ticket scalpers who roam around. These scalpers take advantage of the behavior of potential passengers who are reluctant to queue at ticket counters. Passengers give a service fee of Rp 5,000 per ticket to the scalpers.

In addition, there is a manipulation of the cargo volume figures between vehicle owners and certain ASDP officials. The reported volume is lower than the actual amount. On the one hand, this causes overloaded ships, and on the other hand, the country loses a significant potential revenue.

Darius also highlights the layout of the ship's space. Ships sailing on routes that take over 20 hours only provide seats for passengers. "How can passengers sleep in seats? They are very uncomfortable. For long routes, it is better to have ships that have bunk beds," he said.

Darius hopes that the transformation through improved services and various innovations being carried out by ASDP Kupang will continue. It should not be the case that when there is a lack of supervision, old practices are repeated. Consistency and speed of transformation will continue to be observed by the public, such as putting an end to the practice of "brown envelopes" in the ship's business class.

Also read: Improving ASDP Passenger Services in Kupang