People skeptical on move to decentralize police services
People skeptical on move to decentralize police services
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
People are welcoming the police's plan to decentralize its
services for the renewal of drivers' licenses, but they remain
skeptical that it will be successful in eliminating the use of
expensive middlemen protected by corrupt police.
"I welcome the transfer of the service to police precincts
from the central office in Daan Mogot (West Jakarta). However, I
am doubtful that it will be successful in curbing the practice of
middlemen unless police personnel improve their services to
applicants," said Erizal, 35, a taxi driver who resides in
Ciputat, Tangerang.
Erizal said that police often looked for "pretexts" to require
him to resit the required tests.
"They (police) claimed that I failed the tests, like the
visibility and the practice tests, which seem to be easy to do,"
he complained.
Erizal said the poor service was so slow it made him
frustrated, forcing him to eventually accept a middleman's offer
to settle the paperwork.
"And, you know, I obtained the license within an hour, while a
friend of mine who had attempted to do it all by himself spent
five days," said Erizal, who has been living in Jakarta since
1973 and driving a taxi since 1986.
Starting Tuesday, police will decentralize the driving license
renewal service to police precincts in the center, east and south
of Jakarta.
There are six other precincts, namely North Jakarta, West
Jakarta, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi and Bogor.
The police plan to extend the services, not just for the
renewal but also the issuance of new drivers' licenses, to the
other precincts, except for West Jakarta. It is still not known
when they will be ready to do so. The office in Daan Mogot will
still serve residents of West Jakarta.
Suparno, 30, a motorcycle taxi driver from Mampang Prapatan,
South Jakarta, said the transfer might lessen crowds. "But, those
middlemen will still run their businesses if police still provide
a poor service."
The police service center in West Jakarta is notorious for its
long queues, poor service and remote location. Middlemen operate
openly and they aggressively offer their services to applicants.
Many people prefer to hire middlemen to settle all
administrative affairs, charging a "service charge" which is at
times double or more the official charge of Rp 52,500. The
middlemen's business is safe thanks to corrupt police personnel.
Meanwhile, Comr. I Wayan Pinatih, East Jakarta Police chief
for traffic, said the driving license renewal service would be
ready on Tuesday.
"All computers, equipment and police officers assigned to
handle the job will be ready to serve the applicants," said
Wayan.
There are about 700 applicants per day expected to use the
service at every police precinct.
However, the decentralization has not been widely publicized
and it may take time till the public are aware of the changes.
"I have not heard that police will transfer the driving
license issuance to its police precincts," said Raci Pranesha,
22, a resident of Tebet, South Jakarta.
"That's good news I have just heard it from you. I can save
time as I am no longer required to go to the remote Daan Mogot
office. But, I hope it can really work smoothly," Raci said.