'I prefer to see my money goes to state budget'

Most motorists in Jakarta prefer to bribe police officers rather than going to the court when they are ticketed. Their reasons vary from the timely court proceedings, the existence of middlemen, the trial staged on working days and so forth. The Jakarta Post interviewed some other residents on their preference when being ticketed.

Leonard, 28, is an IT consultant who lives with his wife and newly-born son in Kuningan, South Jakarta:

Actually, I prefer my money go to the state budget via the court rather than see it go into the pockets of police officers if I was ticketed and got fined for violating traffic regulations.

But if I can bribe the officer for less than the fine sanctioned by the court and save the trouble of going to the court, I prefer to give a bribe, for sure.

Who wouldn't, anyway? So let's congratulate the officers for getting a new source of "income", because any fool will obviously choose for faster and cheaper settlement out of court.

Santi, 32, is a housewife living in Bintaro, Tangerang, with her husband and two children:

I have never been ticketed... I hope I won't. But if I were ticketed by police officers, I will definitely go to court. I don't want to give my money to those corrupt officers.

I don't mind going to the court for the trial. If I think it's not worth it, I would just apply for a new driving license, it's much cheaper and simpler in the long run.

But I just heard recently from my friends that police officers now refuse to be bribed anymore. They now give tickets. Is it true?

-- The Jakarta Post