Administration asked to scrap ID charge

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has been urged to abolish the charge for ID cards, with some saying the revenue obtained from ID cards is insignificant.

"The fee collection is useless as it amounts to only between Rp 1 billion and Rp 2 billion annually, and that too, after the agency goes through a lot of bureaucratic problems in its management," Sumarto, former head of the city population agency, said on Friday.

He made the remarks in response to the city administration's plan to double ID card fees to Rp 2,000 as part of its efforts to increase city revenue.

Governor Sutiyoso said on Friday that besides increasing city revenue, the raise was expected to discourage newcomers, especially from villages. He said it would make others think twice before officially registering as Jakarta residents.

"Rp 2,000 is peanuts for city residents. But for those coming from remote villages, it is something. Those poor people will think twice before crowding to this city and registering," he said.

However, Sumarno said: "There should be no fees imposed at all on city residents."

City councilor Nitra Arsyad shared Sumarno's view, saying: "The city will not gain much from increasing fee for ID cards."

"What they would be contributing to is just corruption," Nitra said.

Amir, a resident of Tebet in South Jakarta, explained that to date, officials frequently charged each ID applicant up to Rp 10,000, up from the official fee of only Rp 1,000.

"If this is doubled, what do you think the officials are going to charge us?"

Suratman of Palmerah, Central Jakarta, said he was an official resident of Purwokerto, Central Java, not Jakarta.

"But an official charged me up to Rp 70,000 to enable me to be a resident of the city. Tell me, where do I get that kind of money?"

Agus Pambagio, vice chairman of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), also called for the abolition of the fee, saying that then nobody could be held responsible for corruption.

"The picking up of extra levies by officials could never be accounted for. It's better if the fees are abolished once and for all," Agus said.

Based on the proposal, the fee for foreigners' IDs could doubled to Rp 3,000. (ylt)