Pedicab drivers defend lawsuit<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Becak (pedicab) drivers have defended their
\ndecision not to name the City Council (DPRD) as one of the
\ndefendants in their class action against a citywide ban on becak.<\/p>\n
They said that besides demanding that they be allowed to
\noperate in Jakarta, they were also challenging the Jakarta
\ngovernor's right to take harsh measures against the drivers when
\nclearing them from city streets.<\/p>\n
\"The pedicab drivers did not include the City Council as a
\ndefendant in the case since we were only filing a lawsuit against
\nthe governor's policy,\" said lawyers of the pedicab drivers in a
\nhearing held on Monday at the Central Jakarta District Court.<\/p>\n
The hearing was presided over by judge Manis Sudjono.<\/p>\n
The drivers blame the governor for city officials' repressive
\nactions in their attempts to rid the city of becak.<\/p>\n
\"The governor acted beyond his responsibility. Therefore, we
\nfiled suit against the governor, not the DPRD,\" the lawyers said
\nin their defense statement.<\/p>\n
In last week's hearing, the governor's lawyers demanded the
\ndistrict court drop the lawsuit since the pedicab drivers had
\nfailed to name DPRD as a party also responsible for the issuance
\nof City Bylaw no. 11\/1998 on public order.<\/p>\n
\"The City Council should be included as a defendant in the
\ncase. Omitting other responsible parties from the lawsuit will
\nmean that the lawsuit is incomplete,\" said the governor's
\nlawyers.<\/p>\n
The pedicab drivers' lawyers also rejected the opposing camp's
\nclaim that the drivers had failed to provide valid identity cards
\nwhile filing the lawsuit.<\/p>\n
\"The drivers enclosed their identity cards in the lawsuit.
\nThere should not be a problem with the drivers' original domain
\nas all of them now live in the city,\" the lawyers said.<\/p>\n
One hundred and thirty nine pedicab drivers, representing
\n6,000 pedicab drivers operating in the city, filed a lawsuit in
\nFebruary at the Central Jakarta District Court, demanding the
\ngovernor allow them to operate in limited zones, such as housing
\ncomplexes and markets in the capital.<\/p>\n
In Monday's hearing, some 300 pedicab drivers were present in
\nthe courtroom for the one-hour hearing, which started at 10:30
\na.m.<\/p>\n
Lawyers Paulus Mahulette and Ida Budhiati represented the
\npedicab drivers, while Susanto and Aleston Tambunan represented
\nthe governor.<\/p>\n
Judge Manis adjourned the hearing until next week to hear
\nresponses from the governor's lawyers.<\/p>\n
The judge reprimanded the pedicab drivers before ending
\nMonday's hearing after the drivers voiced dissatisfaction over
\nthe judges' decision to adjourn the hearing until next week and
\ntheir failure to complete the trial on the same day.<\/p>\n
\"If you are dissatisfied with the adjournment of the hearing,
\nyou should consult with your lawyers. You don't know the hearing
\nprocedures,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, another team of lawyers represented the pedicab
\ndrivers in the first hearing of similar lawsuit at the North
\nJakarta District Court. (asa)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pedicab-drivers-defend-lawsuit-1447893297",
"image": ""
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