Free IDs not official yet

Free IDs not official yet

PURWAKARTA, West Java: The administration here has launched an
intensive program to urge more than 120,000 residents process
their identification cards (ID's), but have yet to decide whether
the document will be issued free of charge.

"The administration is worried that if we make it free, we
could be charged of (money politics) like in other areas," given
the polls slated in June, Setiawan Udi told Antara on Monday.

But if the residents were to pay the cost of Rp 1,000 (12 US
cents), the administration would still face the problem of the
prohibitive cost of the ID for many people, Setiawan added.

Officials have been urged to make ID's free in the run-up to
elections, which require that voters have ID's.

Residents would also be burdened with the cost for ID
photographs.

Residents from a number of subdistricts in Purwakarta said
they paid at least Rp 7,500 for each ID, excluding the photograph
costs.

Residents said the official cost was fixed at Rp 1,000, but in
reality local officials would ask for at least Rp 5,000, citing
processing costs.

The program is scheduled to finish by the end of the month.