New three-in-one policy to be effective on Monday

Abdul Khalik and Urip Hudiono The Jakarta Post Jakarta

The Jakarta Police will begin to enforce the three-in-one traffic policy on Monday after a month-long trial period in which they recorded a total of 1,908 violations.

"We will take action against all private cars carrying less than three passengers starting on Monday," city police traffic division chief Sr. Comr. Sulistyo Ishak said on Friday.

The police and the Jakarta Transportation Agency have been promoting the policy and conducting several dry runs of the scheme since Dec. 24, 2003.

"We have conducted an intensive promotion through banners and printed and electronic media for a month. We hope the public will obey the regulations on Monday," Sulistyo said.

Police have anticipated possible violations against the regulations by deploying at least 800 personnel in key entrances including on Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto in front of Park Royal Apartment, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jl. Jend. Sudirman and Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto at the Kuningan intersection.

"We have recorded some violations including the use of joki (people posing as passengers for small fee) and mannequins to deceive police and the use of darker glass windows to make us unable to see inside the vehicles. We'll take stern action against all violators," Sulistyo said.

Law No. 14/1992 on traffic stipulates that three-in-one offenders will be sentenced to a maximum of one month's jail and a fine of up to Rp 1 million (US$119). However, Bylaw No. 12/2003 on traffic stipulates three-in-one offenders will be sentenced up to six months' jail and fined up to Rp 50,000.

The old three-in-one policy, that was implemented since 1993, has been violated by many private car owners who hired joki when entering the restricted zone.

The transportation agency officers monitoring Jl. Sisingamangaraja in South Jakarta claimed they counted about 40 cars violating the new three-in-one policy in two hours on Friday morning alone.

"The number will continue rising until the three-in-one time ends at 10 a.m.," said Zulhardi, one of the officers.

The agency and the city traffic police would deal with drivers who broke the rules while civilian guards would be responsible for joki, he said.

On Friday, some joki were seen operating on Jl. Sisingamangaraja. They did not fear being caught by the officers.

"As long as there are still people in need of our service, we will continue to offer it," said one of the joki.

The Jakarta administration issued the Gubernatorial Decree No. 4104/2003 on the extension of the three-in-one policy to support the Busway project along its corridor from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota, West Jakarta.

The extension will effect Jl. Sisingamangaraja in South Jakarta, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat and Jl. Majapahit in Central Jakarta, and Jl. Gajah Mada, Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Jl. Pintu Besar Selatan and Jl. Pintu Besar Utara in West Jakarta, besides the previous thoroughfares of Jl. Jend. Sudirman and Jl. M. H. Thamrin in Central Jakarta and Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta.

The new policy imposes the restriction from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Previously, the policy was limited from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Private car owners have complained about the implementation on the new traffic policy because it has caused severe traffic jams on the four alternative roads parallel to the Busway corridor. They said the Busway has worsened traffic instead of alleviating it.

During those hours, all cars with less than three passengers are forbidden on thoroughfares while buses, motorcycles and vehicles weighing less than 5,501 kilograms must use the slow lanes. Between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. all vehicles more than 5,501 kilograms are forbidden on the thoroughfares.