1000 motorbike patrolmen to guard Jakartans daily
1000 motorbike patrolmen to guard Jakartans daily
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Hendro- priyono said yesterday that another 1,000 motorbike patrolmen would be deployed in the near future to join the ongoing Operation Cleansing.
"The officers will be provided with pagers so that they will be in instant contact with the public in case there is any crime," Hendro said during the plenary congress of the Jakarta chapter of the Golkar ruling party at the Horison Hotel, Ancol district, North Jakarta.
The two-star army general is popularly known as Hendro.
Hendro urged the public to call the police quickly, hopefully before the crime occurs, so that the Operation Cleansing personnel could quickly take preventive measures.
"Don't wait until a crime happens. Please call in a report as soon as possible, anytime you see something suspicious," said Hendro.
The Jakarta military command, which is sponsoring the anti- crime operation, can be reached on Starpage pagers as follows: 19201 for Central Jakarta, 19202 for North Jakarta, 19203 for West Jakarta, 19204 for South Jakarta 19205 for East Jakarta, 19206 for Tangerang 19207 for Bekasi.
The Starpage numbers are 3144000, 3101188, 3902222 and 331100.
In the past, however, the public, especially in West and Central Jakarta, has shown less response to this program than expected.
"It might be because they are unaware of the pager numbers, or are indifferent towards the fate of their neighborhood," said Hendro.
The low public-response to this report-by-pager scheme, he said, might indicate that there is a deep gap between the government and the public. He said that this gap is leading to the decrease in the latter's willingness to participate in the government-sponsored programs.
"To rectify the situation... we need a set of measures to help bridge this gap, like enhancing democratization and continuing the deregulation and de-bureaucratization drives which we started in 1983. This way, I believe, the public will not be reluctant to express themselves," said Hendro.
He added that Operation Cleansing, which initially focused on criminals, drunkards, drug sellers, and vendors who sold liquor illegally, is now also setting its sights on gamblers and youngsters who drive recklessly and at unsafe speeds at night.
Racers
"Now, there are youngsters who race on the streets at night, jeopardizing their own safety, and the safety of other motorists and pedestrians. They have become our new targets," said Hendro.
Hendro said the operation did not include these night-racers in its initial focus because the operation personnel thought the youngsters, who were mostly teenagers, had long forsaken this type of crime after several crackdowns prior to the operation.
"As it turned out, many have resumed their daredevil acts despite the current Operation Cleansing," said Hendro.
The locations where the young night racers regularly race each other, either on motorbikes or in cars, include Jl. Casablanca, Jl. Kemayoran, Jl. Jendral Sudirman and Jl. Arteri.
Some have even dared to race past police stations.
Spokesman for the Jakarta Military Command Lt. Col. Didi Supandi said the youngsters would be given some "lessons" before they could claim their vehicles which were seized by the patrolmen.
Statistics issued by the Jakarta Military Command reveals that between April 11 and May 25, Operation Cleansing captured 1,500 people, of whom 416 were drunkards and 1,034 of whom were muggers, robbers, pickpockets, people who illegally carried firearms and sharp weapons, and those involved in the criminal sale of banned drugs and liquor.
The officers in charge also confiscated 602,630 bottles of liquor, 480 sharp weapons, 14 firearms, 3,772,624 dangerous pills, and 37 envelopes of cannabis. (jsk)