Administration to ease process for vehicle documents

Administration to ease process for vehicle documents

JAKARTA (JP): In response to the public's negative reaction,
the municipal administration announced that it will simplify the
processing of vehicular documents and make concerted efforts to
abolish the collection of unauthorized charges.

Fauzi Alvie Yassin, the head of the City Revenue Office, said
that the measures will include the simplification of bureaucratic
procedures by reducing the number of counters at the Vehicle
Service Document Office from five to three.

"The process, if things run smoothly, is expected to take only
one hour," Fauzi said on Wednesday.

Fauzi said that the new measures, which will come into effect
on Oct. 1, will also include the abolishment of the collection of
the Rp 2,000 fee for registration forms, the Rp 6,000 for the
license plates of two-wheeled vehicles and the Rp 8,000 for car
license plates.

The public said that the new policy is not only burdensome
because of the additional fees but is also complicated and time
consuming.

When asked to comment on the plan, City Police spokesman
refused to give further explanation.

"Just ask Fauzi what he wants to do. I'm weary commenting
about the system," Lt. Col. A Latief Rabar told The Jakarta Post
yesterday.

Latief, however, said that the first and second of the five
counters are only used for information and documents which might
be problematic.

The new policy, which took effect on Sept. 17, requires
motorists, whose vehicle ownership documents (STNK) have expired,
to go to the Vehicle Documents Service Office every year
to obtain special stickers, which must be affixed to their
license plates to show that the tax and traffic accident
insurance payments are up to date. New license plates are valid
for five years.

Impossible

According to the head of the STNK unit at the City Police,
Maj. FX Setijoso, it would be impossible to process everything in
an hour.

"Tell me who can do it under such conditions," he said
yesterday, referring to the huge number of applicants per day.

Under the old policy, motorists had to obtain new license
plates every year after paying the vehicle tax and other required
fees.

The new policy requires a motorist to pass through five phases
as part of the procedure, handled at five different counters, to
obtain the new sticker.

The complexity of the new policy is worsened by the City
Revenue Office's announcement requiring that people whose
automobile documents have expired should bring their
identification cards, previous car tax receipts, previous traffic
accident fund receipts and other documents needed to the Samsat
building in police headquarters.

Public transportation vehicle owners must also have their
route permits, business permits, certificates of vehicle
inspection and previous traffic insurance receipts.

In response to growing public complaints over the new
draconian policy, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. I Gusti
Ketut Ratta said the authorities will review the new policy.

"The policy is now being reviewed by police headquarters to
identify the problems the public face in securing the special
sticker." Ratta said on Tuesday.

City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad Hindarto also said the
City Police will review the new policy due to complaints that the
policy is inefficient and too complicated.

"If the new policy burdens the public so much, then we will
review it. Or maybe we will even make necessary changes,"
Hindarto said on Tuesday. (has/bsr)