Seko's Economy Relies on "Iron Horse"

Seko's nature is really gorgeous. Unfortunately, Seko is better known for the hefty fares of its motorcycle taxis, which are believed to be the highest in the province, even in Indonesia.

KOMPAS/RENY SRI AYU

Motorcycle taxis carrying heavy loads pass a wooden bridge on a damaged road between Palandoang Hamlet and Lambiri Hamlet, Embonatana Village, Seko, North Luwu, South Sulawesi, Wednesday (28/10/2021).

Seko, an outlying subdistrict in North Luwu, South Sulawesi, has good-quality coffee, chewy organic rice, cocoa and other commodities. The nature is really gorgeous. Unfortunately, Seko is better known for the hefty fares of its motorcycle taxis, which are believed to be the highest in the province, even in Indonesia.

It was almost evening when Andika (39) arrived at Lambiri hamlet, Embotanana village, Seko, on Tuesday (26/10/2021). The motorcycle taxi driver had been driving since morning from Tugu Durian in Sabbang district, which is about 110 kilometers away.

His motorcycle – known by local people as a “kuda besi” (iron horse) – was so overloaded with the piled freightage that his head could hardly be seen from the rear. The carriage items were placed on a wooden plank measuring 1 meter by a half flatly tied to the bike seat. At the front, the items were mounted to the neck.

There were scattered lumps of mud on the tires and bike’s body; on his shoes and pants, too. The traveling route encompasses a non-asphalted and clay road section running across the forest. Muddy puddles and dirt and earthy mounds filled almost the entire road.

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Seko’s rough terrain has prompted the drivers to modify their motorcycles, including the chassis, suspension and tires, with the latter having to be replaced with the jagged ones like a motocross bike.

Andika was arriving back from a freight shipment service to Sabbang, for which he had departed from Seko two days back, carrying 150 kilograms of coffee beans the farmers had him dispatch to Sabbang with a shipment fee of Rp 5,000 per kg.

Quite often, the fee is not paid in cash but deducted from the margin between the sale price and the proceeds. For instance, with the price of coffee at Sabbang market being Rp 21,000 per kg, the farmers will set their price at a range from Rp 15,000 to Rp 16,000 per kg and the price margin belongs to the motorcycle taxi driver.

KOMPAS/RENY SRI AYU

Motorcycle taxis pass through a damaged road in Seko, North Luwu, South Sulawesi, Wednesday (28/10/2021).

Returning home, Andika will usually carry various basic needs, such as sugar, flour, soap, cooking oil and any other essentials the residents have ordered. The paid price of the goods is calculated by including the Rp 5,000 per kg shipment fee. Orders also come from the dispatching farmers as a form of barter for the commodity they ship.

Fellow driver Hasmin (42) said he was more than just a regular taxi driver, as he was also involved in transactions at times. He buys coffee from the farmers and sells it in Sabbang with the proceeds used to purchase groceries to be sold back home.

“So, it's like a barter. Coffee, rice, cocoa and sugar are exchanged for soap, cooking oil and whatever,” he said.

At Seko, shipment using motorcycle taxi generally costs between Rp 500,000 and Rp 700,000. During the rainy season, the fare can reach Rp 1 million. The same fare applies to transporting passengers. The hefty fares have been triggered by poor road conditions. There has never been road-asphalting construction work in Seko.

Air transportation is available for flights between Seko and Masamba, the capital of North Luwu, with the price of a one-way ticket at 400,000, served by a 12-seater aircraft.

How long are we going to endure this condition in Seko?

The poor condition of the roads has affected the prices of basic needs. Gasoline and diesel cost between Rp 30,000 and Rp 40,000 per liter, granulated sugar Rp 25,000 – Rp 30,000 per liter, a 3kg-packaged gas cylinder up to Rp 75,000, cement Rp 150,000 per bag. In general, basic needs in the area are two to three times more expensive than those in the district capital.

Seko is located in the Tokalekaju highlands on the Verbeek and Quarles mountain ranges, with an altitude of 1,200-1,800 meters above sea level.

Home to about 14,000 people, spreading over 12 villages, it is in the heart of Sulawesi, bordering with Central Sulawesi and West Sulawesi provinces.

Being a remote area, Seko has motorcycle taxis as the only main transportation means not only to ship out agricultural products and bring in basic needs from outside, but also to enable the residents to engage with the world.

Motorcycle taxis, who number in the hundreds, are the driver of the community’s economy and mobility.

Seko subdistrict head Akbar Ali said poor road conditions had also hampered the potential development of natural resources. He lamented the discontinuation of the road construction to Seko, which had been initiated by the South Sulawesi provincial government in 2019.

"How long are we going to endure this condition in Seko?" He said.

This article was translated by Musthofid.