300 people netted in discipline drive tried en masse
300 people netted in discipline drive tried en masse
JAKARTA (JP): More than 300 people netted in the discipline
drive were tried in two big tents set up in the yard of the
Tangerang police office yesterday morning.
Most of them, 193 people, were ticketed for traffic
violations.
The deputy head of the Tangerang Police Precinct, Maj. Bambang
Hudanto, said that the highest fine was Rp 300,000 (US$132) for a
truck driver whose truck was overloaded. The lowest was Rp 30,000
fines imposed on motorcyclists.
Others were charged for minor violations such as having no ID
cards, trading on streets, and for thuggery and prostitution.
Bambang said 38 people were charged for not carrying ID cards
and had to pay Rp 21,000 each in fines. He said that police also
charged 22 prostitutes operating in Tangerang.
Erni, 25, a worker in a syrup factory, told The Jakarta Post
that she was apprehended on Wednesday at about 7:30 p.m. at a
local market.
"I just came out of the public toilet at the market when all
of sudden police officers asked me to come with them to their
office," she said.
"I was so shocked because I still don't know my offense," she
added.
According to Erni, she stayed at the office and had been given
nothing to eat the whole night.
She said she had to pay Rp 21,000 to avoid being in custody
for three days.
Yuli, 20, a divorcee, had to pay the same amount for the same
reason.
"I was at the Model discotheque last night when some police
officers came suddenly and asked us to go to the police office,"
she told the Post.
"I don't have enough money to pay the fee but I don't want to
be locked up," she added.
Yuli tried to persuade a police officer to pay her fine and
save her from being arrested if she could not pay.
Another woman, who requested anonymity, also tried to persuade
an official of the Tangerang office of the Ministry of Justice to
pay her fine.
Crime
"I need Rp 5,000 more, please pay for me," she said nicely.
"I'll pay you back at your house," she said, a neighbor of the
official.
During the massive trials, 60 street vendors were charged for
disturbing public order. They had to pay between Rp 2,500 and Rp
20,000 in fines.
Marsan, 42, a father of five children, told the Post he did
not realize he had committed a crime.
"I was only selling newspapers on the sidewalk but they also
caught me," he said with gloomy face.
The street vendor, who approximately earns Rp 3,500 per day,
said that he had to pay a Rp 6,000 fine.
"It's okay to pay the fine as long as I can get back on the
street to sell newspapers again," he said with sparkling eyes,
"What else can I do?"
According to Marsan, he only had Rp 500 in his pocket after
the trial.
"I'm just a street vendor, I am unable to protest against the
authorities," he said emotionally.
The trial also charged extortionists who operated along the
city's main streets and illegal parking attendants.
One of them was Ismar, 27, who was dressed in a green civilian
security corps uniform. Ismar said he was an employee of the
Cimone subdistrict office where he works as a parking attendant,
but the officers asked him to come to the police office.
"I have a legal document stating that I'm an employee of the
subdistrict office," he said with smile.
"The judge did not listen to me because the report said that
I'm an extortionist," he added.
On the contrary, Judge Mimarni Mustafa said that Ismar did not
present his document during the trial.
"It's okay for me to pay the Rp 11,000 fine," Ismar said.
Bambang commented on the problem by saying that it was
possible Ismar did not show his employment document to the judge.
"He should have shown his document during the trial, not
after," he said, "So the judge would be able to consider his
guilt."
Bambang said there were 37 people who could not pay the fines
and had to be arrested.
According to Bambang, the Tangerang police has conducted on-
the-spot trials for traffic violations approximately twice a
week.
"But this is the first time we conducted the trial in our
office yard," he said.
"Although they were charged, we try to provide good and fast
service for them so they don't have to wait days," he added. (05)