New licensing system eases burden

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Residents throughout the capital are now able to extend their driver's licenses at any of four police precinct offices here, thanks to the new decentralized system.

Even Tangerang residents who hold a driver's license issued by the Jakarta police headquarters can also enjoy the service, although they have to pay an additional administrative fee of Rp 25,000 (less than US$3) to have their applications processed.

Such a system, which was launched early last October, was made possible by the on-line computer system at the Jakarta Police Driver's License Processing Unit on Jl. Daan Mogot, West Jakarta, and at precinct offices.

However, the service is limited to renewing driver's licenses for motorcycles (SIM C) and private/small vehicles (SIM A). To obtain a new license, applicants still have to go to the Jl. Daan Mogot central processing office.

The service is currently available at the Central Jakarta, South Jakarta, East Jakarta and West Jakarta police precinct offices, while the North Jakarta precinct office expects to provide the service in the near future.

In the past, all city residents who wanted to make new driver's licenses or to renew them had to go to the Daan Mogot office, where the number of applicants could reach 2,000 a day.

"It's good we can get our licenses renewed at the police precincts, because I'm reluctant about driving two hours through heavy traffic to reach the Daan Mogot office," Rama, a student who resides in Tebet, South Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post on Friday while renewing his license at the South Jakarta police precinct.

"I hope in the near future, all other services can be relegated to the police precinct as well," he added.

Unlike the police office on Jl. Daan Mogot, which is open on Saturday, the police precinct offices offer the service only from 8 a.m to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Applicants at the police precinct offices should first pass a brief health exam, mostly on visual ability, before obtaining a Bank Rakyat Indonesia form and paying for the total fee of Rp 85,000. An officer will then take the applicants' picture and the next process is just to wait, until an officer calls up the applicants' the renewed license.

The whole process takes a few hours, but many middlemen (calo) offer their services to shorten the process to around only one hour.

The decentralized system, according to police, was implemented not only to enhance accessibility of services for the public, but also to discourage the middlemen.

However, many middlemen can still be found at the Daan Mogot office, as well as at the police precinct offices. In fact, many police officers act as middlemen themselves.

"You don't have to take the health exam. We will make sure that you pass," said a major sergeant who was attending a booth providing bank forms for applicants.

"And you don't have to wait long, just 10 minutes to get your picture taken. After that, go for breakfast or anything and come back before 1 p.m. for your license," he said.

Though of course, you have to pay a bit more than the official fee of Rp 85,000.

"The amount is up to you," he said.