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)