Police impose illegal levies, say 'ojek' drivers

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.