Residents unaware of traffic compliance campaign<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Amir, 35, an employee at a hotel in Central Jakarta, was shocked
\nwhen a police officer approached and warned him to wait for a bus
\nat the shelter five meters from where he was standing.<\/p>\n
\"The officer told me I will have to pay a Rp 50,000 fine the
\nnext time I do not wait at the shelter. I did not know there was
\nsuch a regulation. I guess I have to be careful now,\" Amir told
\nThe Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Amir was just one of hundreds of people who received police
\nwarnings during the first few days of a month-long campaign aimed
\nat punishing traffic regulation violators -- pedestrians and
\nusers of motorcycles, public transportation vehicles and private
\ncars.<\/p>\n
City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said over 1,000
\npeople were reprimanded on the first day of the campaign.<\/p>\n
Under Bylaw No. 11\/1988 on traffic regulations, violators
\ncould face three months' imprisonment or fines of up to Rp 50,000
\n(US$5.40).<\/p>\n
\"We gave warnings to about 1,200 people on Thursday, including
\npedestrians and motorcycle passengers who were not wearing
\nhelmets. However, we did not fine or jail them. For the first
\nweek, we will just warn them. After that, we will give them
\ntickets,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The bylaw states that pedestrians must use the sidewalk and
\npedestrian crossings, while bus and taxi passengers must wait at
\nbus shelters.<\/p>\n
It also states that motorcycle passengers who do not comply
\nwith traffic regulations, including wearing a helmet, can be
\nticketed.<\/p>\n
People who ride on the roofs of buses or in the backs of open
\ntrucks can also be punished.<\/p>\n
The police should have no trouble finding people to ticket.
\nMost pedestrians, public transportation drivers, motorists and
\nmotorcyclists break at least one traffic regulation in the course
\nof trying to beat the city's traffic congestion.<\/p>\n
Amir proposed that the police do more to let people know they
\nwill now be punished if they do not wait for a bus or a taxi at
\ndesignated shelters.<\/p>\n
Firman said the first week of the campaign would be used by
\nofficers to let people know about the drive, and after that
\nofficers would begin handing out tickets.<\/p>\n
\"I think Jakartans will know about the campaign because our
\nofficers on the street will tell them if they violate the law,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Firman denied the campaign was aimed at giving police officers
\nthe opportunity to make extra money by demanding bribes from
\ntraffic regulation violators after the closure of gambling dens
\nin the capital, which allegedly were a source of income for the
\npolice.<\/p>\n
\"No, we want to reduce the number of accidents in the capital,
\nwhich have been on the increase,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to data from the city police, there were 4,544
\ntraffic accidents in Jakarta in 2004 and 1,146 deaths.<\/p>\n
However, a credible police source said many officers at city
\npolice headquarters had complained of losing money since the
\ncampaign against gambling began two weeks ago.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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