Locals charge motorists for passing road<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
Motorists passing Jl. Raya Cisauk in Tangerang are facing a new
\nheadache as they are being forced to pay illegal fees imposed by
\nlocal residents.<\/p>\n
An observation made by The Jakarta Post over the weekend
\nrevealed that there are at least eight makeshift stops on the
\nsides of the road with scores of young men stationed to collect
\nfees, mainly from passing commercial vehicles or trucks.<\/p>\n
Latief, one of three young men at a post in Suradita village,
\nCisauk, claimed that he was assigned to collect the fees by the
\nvillage office.<\/p>\n
\"I have to submit between Rp 75,000 and Rp 100,000 to the
\nvillage office every day, and I receive Rp 30,000 in return,\"
\nLatief said while sitting at a plywood stop packed with several
\nother young men.<\/p>\n
Latief, however, did not say why the village office charged
\nmotorists.<\/p>\n
Right in front of the Cisauk subdistrict office close to a
\nrailway crossing, several residents were also seen asking Rp
\n1,000 from motorists.<\/p>\n
Only 100 meters away from the Cisauk subdistrict office,
\nanother group of residents were also seen collecting between Rp
\n1,000 and Rp 2,000 and giving out tickets to motorists.<\/p>\n
The unidentified group said that the cash collected from those
\ndrivers would be used to fund \"Youth and Sports activities\".<\/p>\n
Hambali, a local resident who lives near the post, said that
\nthe post was initially meant to collect donation to help finance
\nthe local Islamic Koran reading contest (MTQ), but when the MTQ
\nwas over, several residents kept on collecting.<\/p>\n
\"I don't understand why these unemployed youths are now
\ncontinuing to collect money,\" Hambali said.<\/p>\n
Neither the Tangerang regental administration nor the police
\nhad received any reports or complaints about the illegal fees.<\/p>\n
\"We will assign our public order officers to coordinate with
\nthe police to clear the streets of those illegal stops,\" said
\nTangerang municipal spokesman M. Jabier.<\/p>\n
\"We will take stern action against groups involved in the
\nimposition of illegal fees,\" Tangerang Police detectives chief
\nAdj. Comr. Kustanto asserted.<\/p>\n
Some truck drivers complained that they had to spend as much
\nas Rp 20,000 every time they passed the main road linking
\nTangerang and Bogor in West Java.<\/p>\n
Saefullah, a truck driver said, most drivers were afraid of
\nrefusing to pay the fees since the unidentified residents often
\nthreatened to beat up drivers and to vandalize their cars.<\/p>\n
\"We just want the Tangerang regency administration and the
\npolice to take measures against the groups and halt such illegal
\npractices here so that drivers can pass by safely,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hendrik, another truck driver, who rides a truck ferrying
\nconstruction material from Tangerang to Bogor, said that he
\nplanned to stage a rally at the administration's office in
\nTigaraksa to protest against the illegal fees.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/locals-charge-motorists-for-passing-road-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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