Dozens nabbed without ID

JAKARTA: Over 50 people in Lagoa subdistrict, Koja, North Jakarta, were apprehended in an identity card crackdown on Tuesday, Tempointeraktif.com reported.

Knocking at residents' doors, the officials from the North Jakarta population and civil registration office found that many of the residents did not have an ID.

"It's not that I don't have an ID ... my parents kept it for me. I know I have it somewhere in the house," said Ijah Sumiyati, 34, who was waiting her turn for trial at Lagoa administration office.

However, many others claimed that they had delayed renewing their IDs because they could not afford the fees.

The government has waived the fee to renew or to make a new ID, but unscrupulous officials charge the applicants up to Rp 30,000 (US$3.3) "to expedite the process", they said. -- JP.