Harsh punishment for corrupt police

Harsh punishment for corrupt police

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo vowed yesterday to punish any police officers found to be taking bribes in the processing of driving licenses.

"If you see (police officers taking bribes), please tell me. I will not hesitate to take firm action against them," he said, adding that some officers had already been punished for bribe- taking.

Dibyo made the remark in response to media reports that corrupt police, together with brokers, were forcing Jakartans to pay much higher than the official fees to either get a new driver's license or to extend an existing one.

The brokers reportedly offer faster service for the processing of license documents, possible through a bypassing of ordinary procedures, in return for additional, unofficial payment.

The fees charged by the brokers for the processing of a driving license are about Rp 130,000 (US$59), twice the ordinary fee of Rp 65,000.

In view of the rampant operation of the brokers, H. Mochamad Aman, head of the city council's Commission A, which is in charge of government affairs, urged the city police chief on Saturday, not only to receive reports about the bribery practice, but also to check in the field himself.

Aman said that the fight against bribery was not as easy as one might imagine because it meant coming to terms with the attitude, mentality and behavior of those involved in the practice.

He said that the current bribery scheme involving police officers was in violation of the regulations.

"Applicants for licenses, who should be instructed on good behavior and abiding by the procedures, are, instead, forced to take a short-cut," Aman said, as quoted by the Kompas daily. (29)