Arrogant officials in ID operation to be punished

JAKARTA (JP): The head of the City Population Agency, Soemarto, said yesterday that he would punish his subordinates who were found guilty of asking for people's travel documents during an identification card operation.

Soemarto made the remark after attending an installation ceremony for new City Council members. He said there was no regulation which stipulated that people from other cities had to bring travel documents to enter Jakarta.

The operation, which was launched Monday, sparked a public outcry when people holding ID cards from other cities were fined between Rp 5,000 (US$2.08) and Rp 20,000 each. The officers in charge of the operation asked people who were netted to present travel documents if they were not from Jakarta.

"It's not true that people have to bring travel documents here. I've never ordered officials to ask for them either," Soemarto said.

He promised to take stern action against officials, who overacted in the operation. "I'll punish them," Soemarto said.

He said there was no need for commuters, who only work in the city, to bring travel documents. "Their ID cards are enough, they can come to the city anytime," Soemarto said.

He said Deputy Governor of Administrative Affairs Idroes ordered him to evaluate the operation and to investigate whether officials violated the regulation.

Many were critical of the way travel documents were asked for and fines for those not having Jakarta ID cards.

Former City Council speaker M.H. Ritonga said that by asking for travel documents from people, there would be an impression that the capital was not safe.

On Wednesday, out of the 1,600 people checked in West Jakarta's Kapuk subdistrict, 141 were fined for not having Jakarta ID cards, while another 182 people were fined in a similar operation in Palmerah, West Jakarta, on Tuesday.

The operation was scheduled to be continued Monday in Tegal Alur subdistrict, West Jakarta, and Pademangan subdistrict, North Jakarta.

An official of West Jakarta's population agency said the operation in Tegal Alur would probably be 'more lucrative' since the area was known as an ethnic Chinese area.

He believed officers would not only find people who did not have ID cards, but others with no documentation of Indonesian nationality as well.

A door-to-door operation in Tegal Alur and Pademangan would be implemented, since the previous operation was considered less effective, he said.

The chief of supervision of the City Population Agency, Soedarsono, said he evaluated the previous operation, which was conducted on streets by stopping passersby and passengers of public transport.

He said officers had difficulties identifying people and their violations when the operation took place on the streets.

Soedarsono said the target of the door-to-door operation was no longer motorists and passengers, but residents, housemaids and students in rented houses.

He called on house owners to open their doors to officers and let them check IDs. (jun/ste)