Police to introduce new driving licenses

JAKARTA (JP): New driving licenses are being issued this month for Jakarta and the surrounding areas of Tangerang, Bekasi and Depok, police said yesterday.

"The new driving licenses will be issued in stages for Jakarta and surrounding areas starting this month, while for other provinces they will be issued in November and in January next year. They will be valid on a nationwide scale," said Traffic Director of the National Police Brig. Gen. Soemarsono.

The new driving licenses, or SIM, look like credit cards, with a hologram printed inside a symbol of the National Police. There is no difference in design between the new driving licenses and the old ones except for the signature of the authorities.

"The hologram is to prevent forgery," Soemarsono said.

He added that it will be difficult to manipulate the new licenses since the material is imported from Germany and a direct printing system is used which takes no more than three minutes to complete.

"The old driving licenses will still be valid until they expire," Soemarsono said.

Police data show that the number of new driving licenses issued by the City Police reached 455,173 in 1992; 498,998 in 1993; 487,265 in 1994, and 219,539 as of August this year. (01)