Administration suable over lost traffic signs

JAKARTA (JP): City residents, whose convenience is disturbed by the disappearance of traffic signs and the neglected condition of thoroughfares, have the right to sue the city administration, an activist and two city councilors said on Sunday.

Contacted separately by The Jakarta Post, deputy chairman of the Indonesian Consumers Organization Agus Pambagio and city councilors Afif Hamka and Saud Rahman said that both the missing traffic signs and the damaged roads are sufficient grounds to sue the administration as it is in charge of the facilities.

Agus said that the administration could be sued for having committed the offense of misleading people due to the absence of the traffic signs or of having caused vehicles to be damaged on account of bad roads.

"In the Kemang area in South Jakarta, for instance, a collision between two motorcyclists occurred about two months ago because a sign prohibiting drivers from turning right was stolen. This means that people have suffered because the administration has neglected its responsibility," he said.

He added that the city land transportation agency had patrol units which should always remain on alert for missing signs.

"I think the patrol units do not function properly," he said.

Agus said that people could file the lawsuit either personally or through a class action mechanism.

City residents had long been inconvenienced by lost traffic signs, especially on toll roads and some damaged thoroughfares.

City public works office data shows that about 600,000 square meters or 29 percent of the 20.56 million square meters of city thoroughfares are in disrepair.

The office head Soeharto had admitted that the city authority's repair work is still being hindered by the lack of funds.

Roads in poor condition include Jl. RE Martadinata and Jl. Yos Sudarso in North Jakarta, Jl. Daan Mogot in West Jakarta and Jl. Cilincing Raya in East Jakarta.

Afif Hamka, a member of Commission E for social welfare affairs, said that the administration should pay full attention to the matter.

"I do understand if they always point out limited funds as the reason that they can't do much about the damage or the lost signs, but they should prioritize the repair of public facilities.

"Governor Sutiyoso himself stated after the city was rocked by a series of riots and unrests that renovating damaged public facilities would be prioritized," he said.

Afif said that the administration could use funds for the flood relief program, totaling Ro 85.95 billion, for the repair of damaged roads.

He also said that subdistrict heads should also play an active role by informing the authority whether the traffic signs and roads in their areas were in good order or not.

He hoped that the administration would soon do the repair work, "because if not I fear that people will have the impression that the administration intentionally neglects its responsibility," he said.

Meanwhile, Saud of Commission D for development affairs said that repair of the traffic signs was badly needed to prevent crooked policemen from using this pretext to ticket motorists.

"It can happen that they wait on purpose for people unintentionally breaching the law due to unclear signs," he added. (ind)