For a safer Jakarta
For a safer Jakarta
All megacities have their dark sides. Calcutta has long been
known for its slums and homeless population, Rio de Janeiro for
its street children, New York for its crime and Bangkok for its
traffic jams. Jakarta has also been condemned by many as a "gas
chamber" for its uncontrolled pollution, caused mainly by motor
vehicles.
Inattention to the mounting problems could result in Jakarta
becoming an unsafe city. Reports of rape, drug trafficking,
theft, hold-ups, purse snatchings and pickpocketing are an almost
daily occurrence. The Jakarta Military Chief, Maj. Gen. Wiranto,
admitted a few months ago that the level of crime in the capital
city was "insane" and intolerable.
It appears that President Soeharto has also felt the pinch. In
a remark last July he called for more concerted efforts to
contain crime and violence in big cities, particularly Jakarta.
Many expatriates agree that crime in Jakarta is on the rise. A
fortnight ago the Japanese and Korean communities in Jakarta, in
a specially organized meeting with the city police, raised the
problem. They complained that the Blok M area is a nest of
pickpockets and that it is not safe even in broad daylight to
walk along Jl. Thamrin. They continue to be bewildered by the
people who routinely visit their homes asking for donations,
fully equipped with papers bearing official-looking stamps and
markings.
A crime occurred every 20 minutes and 21 seconds in Jakarta
last year, which was quite an improvement over the 1993 figure if
a crime taking place every 16 minutes and 30 seconds. But who
believes in statistics or even cares about them? Moreover, many
crimes are never reported.
The core of the issue lies not in statistical records but more
in the fear for one's personal safety. If one feels unsafe in a
crowded place, or if motorists have to worry that some hoodlums
are planting nails in the street to flatten their car tires
before attacking them with a knife, then the city is not safe.
One could put the blame on the city police. However, before
doing so, we should all be aware of these facts: Jakarta is home
to some 11 million people inhabiting an area of 650 square
kilometers, which is patrolled by 15,000 police officers with
approximately 100 cars and 300 motorcycles.
Police motorcycles are supplied with only three liters of gas
for every 24 hours and a car gets seven liters of gas per day,
just enough for a 35-kilometer trip.
Such a supply is woefully inadequate for the underpaid city
police to handle the rising crime wave. To a certain extent, the
public should be asked to participate in the fight against crime,
while calling in the troops should only be an interim measure.
If crime is a social ill caused by economic pressures, social
conditions should be improved. However, to say that increasing
the number of police personnel, raising their salaries and
operation funds and giving them better training and equipment
would solve the problem is an oversimplification. Certainly it
will take more than that.
Before anything really productive can be done, the public
should be able to trust the police and be confident that they are
immune to bribery. The public needs to be assured that if a crime
is reported they will get an instant response and not be
extorted, and that if one is taken into custody one will not be
abused or subject to torture.
In short, an effective fight against crime will only become
possible if our police officers are respected by the public as
honest individuals and tough law enforcers.