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)