'New ID system should be simpler'

'New ID system should be simpler'

JAKARTA (JP): A former Jakarta governor, Soeprapto, said yesterday that the planned collaboration with a private company in processing new ID cards should not create new problem for Jakartans.

Soeprapto, who was governor between 1982 and 1987, said that before this collaboration starts, the form of the cooperation and its implementation should be thoroughly studied.

"Is it effective, will it provide a quicker service, or will it become another burden to people ? These are some of the questions that must be answered when the administration studies collaboration with a private company," he said.

He said the current computerized system, started in 1985, has been working well. "We have all the equipment, and the security of the data is guaranteed, " he said.

He said that the processing of ID cards depended on 'the man behind the gun'.

This statement refers to the fact that the city administration does not yet process ID cards within one day as promised.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has chosen a private company, PT Solusindo Mitra Sejati, to process ID cards nation-wide.

As the result of this collaboration, the city administration has proposed to change the Provincial Decree No. 5/1991 on application of new ID cards.

The change includes the proposal to increase the fees for ID cards from Rp 1,000 to up to Rp 3,000. It was also proposed to raise fees for family cards, birth certificate and other kinds of identity documents.

ID cards for foreigners will also be raised to Rp 3,000, from Rp 2,000, and the fee for family cards for expatriates was proposed to double from Rp 1,000 to Rp 2,000.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja has recently promised to set a very reasonable fee for the new ID card.

The chairman of the City Council's commission C for financial affairs, Helmy AR Syihab, the cooperation with the private companies should be questioned.

"The computer system has been available to the city administration for years, and it has the manpower," Helmy said.

"The administration only needs some laser printers and 70 square-meter computing rooms in five mayoralties. So I guess the private company will only be supplying the paper for the card itself," Helmy said.

The city population office contributed a total of Rp 5.68 billion in revenues the from the 4.5 million residents who applied for ID cards last year.

With the new fees the office expects to be able to contribute Rp 11.8 billion a year in the future.

Helmy said many people have complained about the raise.

"Currently, Jakartans have to pay over Rp 10,000 to get one card while officially the fee is Rp 1,000 per card. The city administration must stop such practices if the fees are going to be raised," Helmy said.

Helmy said the administration can improve the service by instructing subdistrict offices to deliver the cards. (yns)