National IDs to be applied in city

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)