Free IDs not official yet<\/p>\n
PURWAKARTA, West Java: The administration here has launched an
\nintensive program to urge more than 120,000 residents process
\ntheir identification cards (ID's), but have yet to decide whether
\nthe document will be issued free of charge.<\/p>\n
\"The administration is worried that if we make it free, we
\ncould be charged of (money politics) like in other areas,\" given
\nthe polls slated in June, Setiawan Udi told Antara on Monday.<\/p>\n
But if the residents were to pay the cost of Rp 1,000 (12 US
\ncents), the administration would still face the problem of the
\nprohibitive cost of the ID for many people, Setiawan added.<\/p>\n
Officials have been urged to make ID's free in the run-up to
\nelections, which require that voters have ID's.<\/p>\n
Residents would also be burdened with the cost for ID
\nphotographs.<\/p>\n
Residents from a number of subdistricts in Purwakarta said
\nthey paid at least Rp 7,500 for each ID, excluding the photograph
\ncosts.<\/p>\n
Residents said the official cost was fixed at Rp 1,000, but in
\nreality local officials would ask for at least Rp 5,000, citing
\nprocessing costs.<\/p>\n
The program is scheduled to finish by the end of the month.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/free-ids-not-official-yet-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }