New policy on vehicle ownership gets mixed reactions

JAKARTA (JP): City councilors gave mixed reactions to the city administration's new policy which requires them to put a special sticker on car license plates as evidence that the car tax has been paid.

"I see no significant difference between the new policy and the existing one, as vehicle owners still have to come to the tax office to pay every year," said councilor Bahriyoen Soetjipto, a member of city council commission D on development, yesterday. Bahriyoen, who is also a member of the Golkar faction, also questioned the new policy, saying that it will burden the public because they will end up having to pay additional fees.

Under the new policy, which goes into effect today, motorists whose vehicle ownership documents (STNK) have expired must go to the Samsat (Vehicle Documents Service) office to obtain special stickers, which must now be attached to license plates.

Under the old policy, vehicle ownership documents were only valid for one year. After a year, motorists would have to obtain new license plates after paying the vehicle tax and other required fees.

Under the new policy, vehicle documents and license plates are valid for five years, but the motorist's annual obligation to pay the tax and traffic accident funds is unchanged.

The city revenues office announced on Thursday that people with expired documents should bring their identification card, previous car tax receipts, previous traffic accident fund receipts and all of their original vehicle documentation to the Samsat building in the police headquarters complex. Public transportation vehicle owners must also have their route permits, business permits, certificates of vehicle inspection and previous traffic insurance receipts.

The chief of the city revenues office, Fauzie Alvi Yasin, said that people who are caught applying for the sticker with forged or altered vehicle ownership documents face a maximum jail term of six months or a maximum fine of Rp 6 million (US$2,754).

Original

Meanwhile, another commission B councilor, Muhammad Rodja of the United Development Party, said that the document requirement for vehicle owners was important, to verify the originality and legality of the vehicles and their owners.

Councilor Neneng Amalia Dendawacana of the Indonesian Democratic Party, hailed the new policy, saying it was more practical.

"At least the motorists are not required to change their license plates every year," she said.

However two motorists interviewed by The Jakarta Post yesterday appeared skeptical about the effectiveness and efficiency of the policy. (03)