Arrogant officials in ID operation to be punished<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The head of the City Population Agency,
\nSoemarto, said yesterday that he would punish his subordinates
\nwho were found guilty of asking for people's travel documents
\nduring an identification card operation.<\/p>\n
Soemarto made the remark after attending an installation
\nceremony for new City Council members. He said there was no
\nregulation which stipulated that people from other cities had to
\nbring travel documents to enter Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The operation, which was launched Monday, sparked a public
\noutcry when people holding ID cards from other cities were fined
\nbetween Rp 5,000 (US$2.08) and Rp 20,000 each. The officers in
\ncharge of the operation asked people who were netted to present
\ntravel documents if they were not from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"It's not true that people have to bring travel documents
\nhere. I've never ordered officials to ask for them either,"
\nSoemarto said.<\/p>\n
He promised to take stern action against officials, who
\noveracted in the operation. "I'll punish them," Soemarto said.<\/p>\n
He said there was no need for commuters, who only work in the
\ncity, to bring travel documents. "Their ID cards are enough, they
\ncan come to the city anytime," Soemarto said.<\/p>\n
He said Deputy Governor of Administrative Affairs Idroes
\nordered him to evaluate the operation and to investigate whether
\nofficials violated the regulation.<\/p>\n
Many were critical of the way travel documents were asked for
\nand fines for those not having Jakarta ID cards.<\/p>\n
Former City Council speaker M.H. Ritonga said that by asking
\nfor travel documents from people, there would be an impression
\nthat the capital was not safe.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, out of the 1,600 people checked in West
\nJakarta's Kapuk subdistrict, 141 were fined for not having
\nJakarta ID cards, while another 182 people were fined in a
\nsimilar operation in Palmerah, West Jakarta, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The operation was scheduled to be continued Monday in Tegal
\nAlur subdistrict, West Jakarta, and Pademangan subdistrict, North
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
An official of West Jakarta's population agency said the
\noperation in Tegal Alur would probably be 'more lucrative' since
\nthe area was known as an ethnic Chinese area.<\/p>\n
He believed officers would not only find people who did not
\nhave ID cards, but others with no documentation of Indonesian
\nnationality as well.<\/p>\n
A door-to-door operation in Tegal Alur and Pademangan would be
\nimplemented, since the previous operation was considered less
\neffective, he said.<\/p>\n
The chief of supervision of the City Population Agency,
\nSoedarsono, said he evaluated the previous operation, which was
\nconducted on streets by stopping passersby and passengers of
\npublic transport.<\/p>\n
He said officers had difficulties identifying people and their
\nviolations when the operation took place on the streets.<\/p>\n
Soedarsono said the target of the door-to-door operation was
\nno longer motorists and passengers, but residents, housemaids and
\nstudents in rented houses.<\/p>\n
He called on house owners to open their doors to officers and
\nlet them check IDs. (jun\/ste)<\/p>",
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