Police impose illegal levies, say 'ojek' drivers

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The already battered image of the Jakarta Police has been further tarnished following the disclosure by a number of ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers that the police impose illegal levies on them in order for them to be allowed to operate.

The drivers claimed that the levies, which range from between Rp 500 and Rp 1,000 per day, were paid as protection money.

"If we don't pay and get caught for violating traffic regulations, they won't let us go. By paying the levy, there is an understanding between us so that we will be allowed to operate in peace," Anto (not his real name) said.

Anto, 35, is one of the drivers operating at Palmerah market, Central Jakarta. He said that there were four groups of ojek drivers operating at the market and in its vicinity. Each group consisted of about 40 or 50 drivers.

A driver has to pay Rp 1,000 every working day, which sum is collected by the group's coordinator. Once a month, the coordinator hands over the money, amounting to between Rp 200,000 and Rp 250,000, to the nearest police station, according to Anto.

He said the drivers did not object to the levy as its payment allowed them to work in peace, adding that each of them could earn Rp 25,000 per day on average.

Illegal levies are also imposed at Tanah Abang market and along Jl. Jend. Sudirman, where many ojek drivers operate.

Maman (not his real name), an ojek driver who was waiting for passengers near Chase Plaza, South Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post that they would not be able to operate if they did not pay the police. He said that there were about 50 drivers in his group.

"Each of us has to set aside Rp 500 a day. Otherwise, we would not be allowed to operate as ojek are banned here. In order to operate here, we just have to pay the police," he said.

"Sometimes, the police even come up to us looking for us to buy them something to drink or a pack of cigarette", he added.

The protection money was handed over to a middle-ranking officer from Setiabudi subdistrict police station.

According to Supri, who was waiting with his parked ojek behind the Ambassador Mall, South Jakarta, the Setiabudi Police started to impose the Rp 1,000 daily levy on each driver only about three months ago.

"Previously, we didn't have to pay any such levy", he said.

Comr. Markilan Heru Prasetyo, who was installed as the chief of Setiabudi police subprecinct on Saturday, told the Post earlier this week that there could be some officers who were imposing illegal levies on the drivers. He pledged to investigate the matter and called upon the ojek drivers to report the matter to him as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, his predecessor, Com. Bambang Sutrisno, denied the involvement of his men in any wrongdoing.

"I've never received any complaints about this. If they are being forced to pay levies to my men, report them to me and I'll hand them over to the Military Police. You can check it out and report any involvement by my men. Find out their names", he said last week before being transferred to National Police headquarters.