Administration drafts rules for free ID card renewal

Administration drafts rules for free ID card renewal

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration is drafting regulations
to provide free identity card renewals to residents, an official
said on Friday.

"We are still designing the mechanisms and sanctions," the
deputy governor for administration affairs, Abdul Kahfi, said at
City Hall.

"The administration has also calculated the possibility of
losing income from the fees currently collected from residents
renewing their identity cards.

"But it's also important to further improve our public
service. We'll find ways to compensate (for the lost revenue),"
he said.

The city administration receives Rp 1.75 billion (US$205,000)
annually from Jakartans renewing their identity cards, known as
KTPs.

Governor Sutiyoso announced on Monday his administration would
abolish the fee for identity card renewals starting in November
to provide residents an improved service.

"But first we have to amend city bylaws No. 1/1996 on
population administration and No. 3/1999 on city levies," he
said.

Kahfi said residents who failed to renew their identity cards
on time would face harsher penalties than currently in place.

"Abolishing the fee doesn't necessarily mean residents lose
the obligation to renew their identity cards .... We'll impose
higher fines for this offense," he said.

He also said the administration would monitor the process of
obtaining KTPs to prevent any abuse of the system on the part of
foreigners.

"There are cases where foreigners applied for or even forged
identity cards for their own purposes. There is already a
naturalization process if they want to acquire citizenship," he
said.

Currently, the city administration issues separate identity
cards for foreigners who posses a stay permit.

In a related development, Sutiyoso promised all district and
subdistrict heads on Thursday the administration would do more
for them to help them improve their service.

"It's only logical that if I ask them to improve their service
to residents, at the same time I will try my best to improve
their welfare," he said after meeting with the city's 43 district
heads and 265 subdistrict heads.

"Subdistricts will have greater authority and budgets to
simplify public services for residents. Therefore, we have to
gradually provide them more budget and equipment," the governor
said. (nvn)