No more raids against 'becak'

JAKARTA: Raids against becak (three-wheeled pedicabs) had come to an end, with the authorities having seized 11,405 pedicabs in the five mayoralties, head of the City Public Order Agency Firman Hutadjulu said on Thursday.

He told City Hall reporters that the pedicabs had been netted during operations conducted from Aug. 13 to Oct. 30.

"The operations ran smoothly and successfully," he said.

The pedicabs confiscated during the operations are being stored at a Cakung warehouse, before being tossed into the ocean, where they will act as fish shelters.

Many becak drivers resisted the raids. One civilian guard was killed when a crackdown on the pedicabs in West Jakarta turned violent.

Dozens of becak drivers even sued Governor Sutiyoso for banning them from operating in the city. The trial was scheduled to begin on Thursday, but was adjourned because the respondent's lawyer failed to present the letter of attorney. --JP