New licensing system eases burden<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Residents throughout the capital are now able to extend their
\ndriver's licenses at any of four police precinct offices here,
\nthanks to the new decentralized system.<\/p>\n
Even Tangerang residents who hold a driver's license issued by
\nthe Jakarta police headquarters can also enjoy the service,
\nalthough they have to pay an additional administrative fee of Rp
\n25,000 (less than US$3) to have their applications processed.<\/p>\n
Such a system, which was launched early last October, was made
\npossible by the on-line computer system at the Jakarta Police
\nDriver's License Processing Unit on Jl. Daan Mogot, West Jakarta,
\nand at precinct offices.<\/p>\n
However, the service is limited to renewing driver's licenses
\nfor motorcycles (SIM C) and private\/small vehicles (SIM A). To
\nobtain a new license, applicants still have to go to the Jl. Daan
\nMogot central processing office.<\/p>\n
The service is currently available at the Central Jakarta,
\nSouth Jakarta, East Jakarta and West Jakarta police precinct
\noffices, while the North Jakarta precinct office expects to
\nprovide the service in the near future.<\/p>\n
In the past, all city residents who wanted to make new
\ndriver's licenses or to renew them had to go to the Daan Mogot
\noffice, where the number of applicants could reach 2,000 a day.<\/p>\n
\"It's good we can get our licenses renewed at the police
\nprecincts, because I'm reluctant about driving two hours through
\nheavy traffic to reach the Daan Mogot office,\" Rama, a student
\nwho resides in Tebet, South Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post on
\nFriday while renewing his license at the South Jakarta police
\nprecinct.<\/p>\n
\"I hope in the near future, all other services can be
\nrelegated to the police precinct as well,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Unlike the police office on Jl. Daan Mogot, which is open on
\nSaturday, the police precinct offices offer the service only from
\n8 a.m to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n
Applicants at the police precinct offices should first pass a
\nbrief health exam, mostly on visual ability, before obtaining a
\nBank Rakyat Indonesia form and paying for the total fee of Rp
\n85,000. An officer will then take the applicants' picture and the
\nnext process is just to wait, until an officer calls up the
\napplicants' the renewed license.<\/p>\n
The whole process takes a few hours, but many middlemen (calo)
\noffer their services to shorten the process to around only one
\nhour.<\/p>\n
The decentralized system, according to police, was implemented
\nnot only to enhance accessibility of services for the public, but
\nalso to discourage the middlemen.<\/p>\n
However, many middlemen can still be found at the Daan Mogot
\noffice, as well as at the police precinct offices. In fact, many
\npolice officers act as middlemen themselves.<\/p>\n
\"You don't have to take the health exam. We will make sure
\nthat you pass,\" said a major sergeant who was attending a booth
\nproviding bank forms for applicants.<\/p>\n
\"And you don't have to wait long, just 10 minutes to get your
\npicture taken. After that, go for breakfast or anything and come
\nback before 1 p.m. for your license,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Though of course, you have to pay a bit more than the official
\nfee of Rp 85,000.<\/p>\n
\"The amount is up to you,\" he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-licensing-system-eases-burden-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }