Court starts hearing on 'death-wish' party hacks

Court starts hearing on 'death-wish' party hacks

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Central Jakarta District Court began on Tuesday the first
trials of dozens of people who broke traffic laws while following
the campaign trail.

The court bailiffs recorded that of the 1,144 traffic offenses
to be heard on Tuesday, 170 cases were for numerous violations
committed by political party supporters since the first day of
campaigning on March 11.

The offenses ranged from not wearing crash helmets, driving in
the wrong lane to carrying too many passengers on motorbikes or
in cars.

Crowding the courtroom, hot and bothered offenders took turns
to sit at the defendant's bench, hand in their tickets and pay a
fine of Rp 20,000 (US$2.30) to Rp 50,000 as decided by the sole
judge, Aman Barrus.

On the first day of campaigning alone, the Jakarta Police
ticketed 960 offenders taking part in a joint parade across the
city.

The police's tough action against offending party supporters
is unprecedented as, in previous elections, party convoys were
allowed to take over roads.

However, most of the defendants on trial for campaign-related
traffic violations claimed they were treated unfairly.

Aside from the fact that they were not given a chance to
defend themselves, some turned up at court only to be told their
cases could not be heard because the police had yet to file the
paperwork on their violations.

Robinson Siagian, a Democratic Party supporter ticketed for
not wearing a helmet during the March 11 street parade, said the
police had acted unfairly in ticketing people.

"Many supporters of other political parties in the campaign
were without helmets, but the police only picked on me. Maybe it
was because I had a flat tire so I could not escape them," he
told The Jakarta Post.

He said such police action would not deter party supporters
from participating in what he called a "festival of democracy".

Robinson went home grinning after the judge ordered him to pay
a Rp 16,000 fine. "I will still take part in campaigns, but next
time I'll wear my helmet."

Another defendant, M. Chaerul, a supporter of the Minister of
Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra-led Crescent Star
Party (PBB), said the police had acted unprofessionally.

"I and my son were riding on two different motorbikes for PBB
on the first day of campaigning and we had a police escort.
However, two policemen appeared out of the blue and gave us
tickets right when we were about to enter Jl. MH Thamrin," he
told the Post, referring to the thoroughfare along which all
political parties paraded on the first day of campaigning.

The father and son complained that the police had handed the
paperwork for Chaerul's violation to the South Jakarta District
Court, while his son's was filed with the Central Jakarta
District Court.

"How absurd, we were caught in Central Jakarta, but I have to
stand trial in South Jakarta," he said in dismay, while waiting
for his son's trial.

Chaerul said he would rush to his own trial held on the same
day.