Police finding fault

Police finding fault

From Republika

On May 8, 2001, at about 11:30 a.m., while driving on Jl. Kemanggisan Ilir Raya, my driver was stopped by a police officer named Suraji (written on his name tag on his right chest pocket) from the Pal Merah Police. The officer said the registration tag on the car's license plate was fake (not the original one issued by the police).

Although I showed him the original (kept in the trunk), he insisted on giving me a ticket or else paying Rp 75,000. Not wanting my driver's license and my motor vehicle number to be pulled, I drained my pocket to pay him.

My questions are: Why are other vehicles with "trendy and more conspicuous plates" not ticketed? On what grounds did you pull over my car?

I strongly object to being forced to pay Rp 75,000 in broad daylight when off the Sudirman-Thamrin thoroughfare. I felt like I was being robbed.

Perhaps I am just like the police officer. The Rp 75,000 meant a lot me, but did the money go to the state's coffers or into his pocket?

L. BINTANG RATNA W

Jakarta