Impolite policeman

Impolite policeman

From Kompas

On the afternoon of Feb. 16, after my office, located on Jl. Damai, Daan Mogot, West Jakarta, was closed, my two friends and I decided to go home by bajaj (three-wheel motorized pedicab) using an alternative road because the main road to our home in Grogol was inundated by the flood.

Near Citraland, the bajaj was suddenly stopped by policemen from the Tanjung Duren sector. They checked the vehicle papers.

While we were waiting for the checking process to be completed, one of the policeman (initials MK) approached us. He said rudely: "Hey you, do you have an ID cards or not?"

One of my friends was so surprised that she could not help smiling. Seeing my friend smiling, the policeman became angry and asked: "Why are you laughing? Do you have an ID card or not?"

After our problem with the ID cards was over, it turned out that the policemen had not finished checking the bajaj papers. We finally decided to pay the bajaj fare and walk home. As we got off the bajaj, we overheard one of policemen saying: "Hey, you need to deposit some money as a guarantee. What's the use of your ID card? It's useless."

Fortunately, one of the policemen was kind enough to let the bajaj go and take us home.

The behavior of the policemen toward us and the bajaj driver seemed far from the attitude which must be maintained by the police, who have the duty to protect the people. During the checking procedure, the three of us felt nothing but insulted.

Name and address withheld

by the Editor