Authorities catch beggars posing as street sweepers

JAKARTA (JP): The city sanitation agency has caught and interrogated three people caught begging red-handed on the city streets when wearing the orange uniforms of official street sweepers, an official said on Monday.

City spokesman Muhayat told reporters the three people admitted to have "borrowed" the uniforms from official street sweepers celebrating the Idul Fitri holidays in their hometowns.

After being interrogated, the three were immediately released.

"But we have recorded all the information they gave us and the identities of the those who lent them the uniforms," Muhayat quoted the head of the city sanitation agency, Saksono Soehodo, as saying.

The investigation on street sweepers who lend out their uniforms was still underway, he said.

"So far, we haven't found any official street sweepers involved directly in the action (of begging). We're still investigating the case to find out how they could obtain the uniforms," Muhayat said.

The spokesman, however, did not reveal the identities of the three people.

Scores of people wearing the orange uniforms of the city street sweepers were seen at several streets in the capital, particularly in South Jakarta, such as the Senayan traffic circle near Ratu Plaza, Jl. Sisingamangaraja, Jl. Pakubuwono, Jl. Patiunus and Jl. Metro Pondok Indah, several days prior to and during the recent Idul Fitri celebrations.

The people, mostly teenagers of both sexes, operated at traffic lights. Carrying brooms and shovels, they acted as if they were cleaning the streets while waiting for the red light.

Shortly after the lights turned red and the passing cars stopped, they approached the vehicles and demanded the drivers or passengers to hand over money.

Some of them even banged on car windows to alert the people inside the vehicles. Usually they worked in groups of four or six people, with two of them waiting by the side of the street.

On the evening of Dec. 31 at the Senayan traffic circle one of the beggars ran away when asked by The Jakarta Post whether he and his friends were real street sweepers or beggars camouflaged in orange uniforms.

Few days later on Jl. Pakubuwono, the Post's photographer had difficulty getting pictures as most of the beggars ran away after becoming aware of the presence of a newsman.

The groups could no longer be seen on Monday.

"We're very upset with such occurrences as they will, of course, tarnish the image of the administration," Muhayat said.

Muhayat, however, admitted the possibility that official street sweepers had rented out their uniforms to get extra income.

He said taking severe action against the workers was not easy since the cleaning service business in the capital was not only handled by employees of the sanitation agency.

"There are 20 private companies here which have become the agency's partners in the business," Muhayat added.

Muhayat also disclosed the agency was finding it difficult to handle the amount of trash and firecracker casings left after the takbiran evening before Idul Fitri on Friday.

"The agency is finding it difficult to clean spent firecrackers from the streets which are stuck to the roads due to the rains," he said.

On Monday, several streets, such as those around the Monas park and several spots along the city's main thoroughfares of Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman, were still littered with firecracker casings. (ind/bsr)