Strict controls imposed on SIM applicants<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In compliance with the nationwide campaign for
\nthe eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN), the
\ncity police have instituted strict controls on obtaining or
\nrenewing driver's licenses since early this month.<\/p>\n
Under the new policy, license applicants must personally come
\nto the Jakarta Police driving license processing unit on Jl. Daan
\nMogot in West Jakarta, instead of making use of services offered
\nby middle men or driving schools.<\/p>\n
According to city police traffic chief Col. Nyoman Sukesna,
\nthe strict system has recorded some 200 to 400 applicants failed
\nto obtain driver's licenses per day.<\/p>\n
\"This is clean testing. No scalpers, or whatever people call
\nthem,\" Nyoman told The Jakarta Post on Monday.<\/p>\n
However, several parties, including officers at the license
\nprocessing office, believe that the tight policies will not last
\nfor long.<\/p>\n
\"Just contact me in two weeks and I can help expedite
\nprocedures to obtain your license. I cannot do it now because we
\nare still under control,\" said a female employee who was
\nscreening incoming visitors at the building's gate on Monday.<\/p>\n
She did not wear a police uniform, but civilian clothes with a
\npolice pin. Only genuine license applicants were allowed to enter
\nthe building.<\/p>\n
The woman said that the police imposed tighter controls on
\nlicensing procedures in response to the nationwide campaign to
\nabolish KKN practices.<\/p>\n
\"This is what the people want, isn't it,\" she said with a
\ndead-pan look.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people swamped the processing office on Monday.
\nThey stood in line for hours to accomplish all the procedures
\nrequired for a license.<\/p>\n
Lina, a Tangerang resident, told The Jakarta Post early this
\nmonth that it took her five hours to go through all the
\nprocedures to obtain the license.<\/p>\n
\"It took me more than one hour just to get a health form,\" she
\ncited an example.<\/p>\n
\"What troubled me was that I failed at the final stage, the
\npractical test,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the trouble that the applicants have to go
\nthrough during the process, a female police officer said, \"It's
\nnice to pay a low (driver's license) fee, isn't it. But don't
\nblame officers if you don't pass the test. This is what the
\npeople want....,\" Lina quoted the officer as saying.<\/p>\n
With the newly introduced system, scalpers, agents and driving
\nschools now reject all customers, unless the latter are willing
\nto delay processing their licenses until next week.<\/p>\n
A scalper, Muji, who is also an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver,
\nsuggested that customers come to the license processing office
\nafter May 20.<\/p>\n
\"I heard that it is on May 20 when the tight control mechanism
\nis no longer in effect. So just look for me then if you want a
\nfaster process,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Muji refused to mention the fee for his service, saying: \"the
\nsituation changes so frequently that I cannot determine the fee
\nnow.\"<\/p>\n
\"Actually the control mechanism intensity already has
\ndecreased, but the officers are still afraid of receiving
\nbribes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Eddy Gunawan, owner of a driving license service in Grogol
\narea of West Jakarta, flatly rejected the customers who asked for
\nhis service.<\/p>\n
\"We've been out of the business since last month. Just come
\nhere after May 20, when the control period will end,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Eddy hinted that he cooperated with the \"inner-circle\" at the
\ndriver license processing unit.<\/p>\n
\"I just call them every time I have customers, and they will
\nthen pick the required documents. The customers then can have the
\nlicense within three days,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The tariff for processing the license at his company is Rp
\n125,000, while the official tariff is only Rp 52,500.<\/p>\n
Similarly, driving schools temporarily have quit offering a
\ndriving course package because of the new policy.<\/p>\n
\"You pay Rp 150,000 for the driving course first, then call us
\nlater to check whether we can also serve you by obtaining the
\ndriver license for an additional Rp 230,000,\" said an employee at
\nPT Ulisa driving school in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In the past, students at such driving schools could obtain
\nlicenses at the end of the course.<\/p>\n
Similar thoughts were aired by an instructor at Persemija
\ndriving school in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Only after May 20 can we offer you the driving course
\npackage,\" he said, adding that the course fee was Rp 200,000 and
\nthe license processing fee was Rp 225,000. (ind\/ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/strict-controls-imposed-on-sim-applicants-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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