Police, not agency officers, to handle 3-in-1 cases

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakarta Police turned down on Thursday a request filed by the Jakarta Transportation Agency asking to be entrusted with the authority to ticket three-in-one violators, arguing that it was not the task of the police.

An officer at the police headquarters said five officials from the transportation agency met the police traffic division chief Sr. Comr. Sulistyo Ishak earlier in the day.

"But Law No. 14/1992 on traffic clearly states that the agency officials only have the authority to impose sanctions on public vehicles and trucks that fail to meet standard requirements for public vehicles," the officer said.

The source revealed that the agency officials based their argument on the fact that the three-in-one traffic policy was stipulated in Jakarta Bylaw No. 12/2003, hence, as officials, they have the obligation to uphold the bylaw.

The meeting took place after police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo told the media on Wednesday that the police had received complaints from motorists who were ticketed by agency officers.

Article 53 of the Traffic Law states that agency officers have the authority to investigate and to sanction traffic violators.

However, the authority is limited to violations on technical requirements for vehicles, such as whether the load exceeds the allowed weight, or sanctions for exhaust emissions from public buses.

Prasetyo said that the police uphold the traffic and vehicle law, which legally was more powerful than a bylaw.

"Therefore, the city police have confirmed that only police officers have the authority to ticket violators of the three-in- one regulation," Prasetyo remarked.

Head of the city transportation agency Rustam Effendy was not available for comment as of Thursday evening when The Jakarta Post tried to contact him.