Legislators back plan to scrap 3-in-1 rule
Legislators back plan to scrap 3-in-1 rule
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso's plan to revoke the
"three-in-one" traffic regulation has received strong support
from the city's legislators.
But police oppose any change to the law. Police said the only
reason it had been ineffective was the presence of three-in-one
kids or "jockeys" -- youngsters who become the second and/or
third passenger in a car so the driver can access the restricted
areas during rush hours.
Councilor Ali Wongso, the head of Commission D for development
affairs, said he supports Sutiyoso's plan to replace the
three-in-one regulation with special stickers for cars.
Lukman Mokoginta, the head of the Indonesian Democratic Party
faction, said it was important to change the concept and
introduce monthly stickers which allow motorists to use three-in-
one areas.
The selling of stickers would help increase the city's revenue
and the extra money could be injected into creating a better
transport network in the city, Lukman said.
The three-in-one regulation, which was introduced in 1992,
requires a minimum of three passengers in a private car traveling
along the Jl. MH Thamrin, Jl. Sudirman and part of Jl. Gatot
Subroto thoroughfares between 6:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. every day,
except Sundays.
Traffic police are usually on guard at each entrance to the
restricted zones.
However, motorists can easily thwart the restriction by paying
jockeys to make up the shortfall in passengers.
Governor Sutiyoso disclosed his plan to review the three-in-
one policy after meeting with President Soeharto on Monday.
Stickers
"Why should we maintain an ineffective policy?" he said,
adding that he may introduce monthly stickers.
Councilor Ali suggested the price of stickers be set at Rp
100,000 (US$28.60) per car per month.
"If the stickers are set at a lower price, many motorists
would be able to buy them, so the traffic would still be
congested," he said.
According to Jakarta Traffic Police Chief Col. Fakhrudin
Bakar, the existing policy is good enough.
"But the presence of jockeys makes the policy less effective,"
he said.
City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said the jockeys
also contributed to the crime rate, with police often catching
the youths with knives, old credit cards and mobile phones in
their possession.
Data showed that about 8,000 jockeys, including housewives,
have been apprehended by authorities in the last five years.
Fakhrudin said the traffic police would set up a team,
comprising of related officials, to evaluate the three-in-one
policy.
"The team might need a week to decide whether or not the
policy should be revoked," he said.
Deputy Governor for Economic and Development Affairs Tb.M.
Rais said the city administration had started reviewing the
policy.
"We found that the three-in-one regulation does not work
effectively," he said.
"It is no longer suitable for Jakarta's traffic situation.
Therefore, we are looking for alternative solutions."
Jockeys
When asked to comment yesterday, the jockeys expressed their
dissatisfaction with Sutiyoso's plan saying that they would lose
their "job".
Teguh, 15, said he earned between Rp 2,000 and Rp 3,000 per
day.
He admitted that he was frequently arrested by police officers
who pretended to be motorists.
He said he was often "placed" at the Kedoya social service
office or Cipayung social service office in West Jakarta.
"But now I can recognize cars used by police officers," he
said.
Another jockey, Amat, refuted Aritonang's accusation that
jockeys often committed crimes.
The two young boys usually wait for motorists on Jl. Satrio
and Jl. Senopati in South Jakarta. (05/07/jun)