Lawyers, councilors oppose steep rise in traffic fines
JAKARTA (JP): Lawyers and city councilors oppose a probable steep rise in traffic fines, saying that the Rp 1 million to Rp 6 million (US$476 to $2,860) fines announced by National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro are too high.
"Only a small elite can afford it," said Adnan Buyung Nasution, the chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), one of the most vocal non-governmental organizations in the country.
He said that YLBHI basically supports the idea of the traffic campaign, but that it believes the government failed to take into account the standard of living of Indonesians before deciding on the fine scale.
Buyung and lawyer Frans Hendra Winarta, another executive of YLBHI, as well as city councilor Muhammad Rodja and Djenny Suharso told The Jakarta Post yesterday that the planned imposition of such heavy fines will apparently send many poor drivers to prison cells.
"Although we have to admit that the amount is normal in industrialized countries, but not in Indonesia where the majority of people are still poor. It is social injustice," Buyung said.
Rodja, currently the secretary of the Jakarta chapter of the United Development Party (PPP), said that Rp 1 million is no small change even for a politician like him.
"But I'd rather borrow some money or sell my wife's jewelry rather than go to jail," said Rodja, adding that he expected a negative response from city bus drivers whose monthly income lies between Rp 200,000 and Rp 250,000.
"Our jails will be full of drivers (if the government strictly enforces the plan)," he bluntly said.
Kompas quoted Banurusman, who is attending the National Central Bureau (NCB) Interpol meeting in Rome, yesterday that the police will gradually impose the plan starting with main thoroughfares in major urban centers like Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin, both in Central Jakarta.
Traffic fines in Jakarta currently vary from Rp 10,000 to Rp 100,000.
Traffic law
Referring to the 1992 Traffic Law which regulates heavy traffic fines, the four-star police general said two years are enough to popularize the law.
The police, he said, will begin implementing the 1992 Traffic Law early next year.
Police officials have said that the increased fines are aimed at reducing accidents by encouraging motorists to obey traffic regulations.
But Frans and Djenny said that orderly traffic cannot simply be created by imposing heavy sanctions.
Frans said that imposing heavy fines without proper education and training will prove meaningless.
He underlined the importance of a long-term planning and introducing traffic regulations to young children.
"Just like in Singapore, children begin to learn to obey traffic regulations since they go to school," he said, adding that the Indonesian authorities should allocate special time to introduce traffic education for children. (yns/09)