Bus drivers protest against police

Bus drivers protest against police

JAKARTA (JP): The drivers of at least 20 Kopaja-502 buses
stopped plying the Kampung Rambutan - Tanah Abang route yesterday
in protest at police action against them they believe to be
excessive and unfair.

The strikers said police officers along the route often
ticketed them without reason. They also claimed the officers
demanded money for reasons they would not explain.

Yesterday's action left hundreds of passengers, notably
students and those going to work, scrambling for other transport
along Jl. Otista, East Jakarta.

Worst affected were people heading for Jl. Thamrin, Jl.
Sudirman and the commercial district of Tanah Abang in Central
Jakarta.

Kopaja operations manager Syarifuddin told Antara that the
drivers were showing their disgust at the widespread illegal
levies and the increasing incidence of ticketing, mostly by East
Jakarta police officers, without reason.

"Some drivers are ticketed up to three times a day without the
officers explaining why," he said.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang denied the claim
that police officers had "imposed pressure" on the striking
Kopaja drivers.

"I have checked on this," he told The Jakarta Post by
telephone.

He said the drivers' problems were connected to the issuance
of route permits which resulted in too many buses from different
companies serving the same route.

Some striking drivers said yesterday they believed the police
officers ticketing and asking them for money were those they
complained about during a March 26 dialog between Kopaja and the
City Police.

"Maybe some individual officers are doing it again in
revenge," said driver Binsar, 45.

He said ticketing the same driver up to three times in a
single day was "too much" because drivers had to pay more than Rp
100,000 (US$13.33) to get their driving licenses and other
documents back. (pan/edt)