National IDs to be applied in city

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will apply a national identity card system next year with the aim of standardizing all ID cards throughout the country, Deputy Governor of Administrative Affairs Abdul Kahfi said over the weekend.

He said everything was in place for the application of the national ID card program.

"The city administration signed an agreement early this month with PT SMS, a private company appointed to carry out the national ID card program," Kahfi said.

A pilot project for the national ID card was carried out in Menteng district recently, but it did not run as well as expected.

Iwan Sudjatmiko of Menteng said the process to get a national ID card was too complicated.

"Regulations say ID cards are ready the next day. But I've spent almost three weeks waiting for mine," Iwan said.

Iwan also said the national ID card was not any different from the existing one.

"We still have to pay certain levies to speed up the process," he said, adding that the previous ID card process was quicker than the national one.

An official at a Menteng subdistrict office who asked for anonymity said the process to make national ID cards was more difficult and time consuming.

"The national ID card is like a credit card containing much more information on the cardholder. It is computerized," the official said. (07)