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)