'Operation' ID

'Operation' ID

I would like to share my opinion concerning the ID card
operation conducted in Jakarta a few days ago. I can't fully
comprehend the way the raid was conducted; passersby and public
transport passengers were stopped and they were required to
present their Greater Jakarta IDs, or they would have to pay
fines.

Some people from out of town who happened to spend their
holiday here were netted for failure to show IDs of proper travel
documents. I don't understand this. These people do not live in
Greater Jakarta. Surely, they don't have Greater Jakarta IDs.
They might come here for a visit. Do people from outside Jakarta
really need travel documents if they come here for a visit? If
so, is there any law to that effect?

I also saw on TV that some foreign tourists were nabbed during
the raid for not carrying their passports with them. One of them
seemed to have a traumatic experience and made a negative
comment, saying that he would never come to visit this country
again. A bad advertisement for the tourism business, and it could
even soil the country's image abroad.

I understand that the raid was aimed at curbing urbanization.
Yet a clear cut regulation on this matter is required and the
people should be notified. I urge Jakarta authorities to carry
out the operation in a more appropriate manner.

According to a district official, to get a Jakarta ID is easy
and inexpensive. This might be true in theory. In practice it is
not that easy. Jakarta needs to create a better system for ID
issuance and provide a better service for society.

TITIEN D SOESARDI

Jakarta