Professionalism a rare thing

In its recent annual session, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) reiterated that Indonesia is a law-based state, where everybody is subject to the supremacy of the law and is therefore equal before the law.

In this respect, the police force as a law-enforcing agency must make sure that the law is properly complied with in this country.

Unfortunately, I have had some disappointing experiences in my dealings with the police.

The Bandung Police are very proud of their motto: To serve the people is compulsory for every police officer. It is a pity that reality sometimes tells a different story.

Once, one of my sisters was badly hurt by one of her neighbors and had to stay home from work for several days because of the wounds inflicted on her.

Then, armed with a doctor's certificate about the wounds, she filed a lawsuit against the wrongdoer. The police received the doctor's certificate, dated May 7, 2000, on May 13, 2000, but until now they have done nothing about it as required by law.

I am curious, therefore, why the police do not live up to their motto and just consider the case a trifle not worthy of their attention.

On another occasion, a traffic accident claimed two lives. Both victims had no identification cards. They were treated in the hospital where I now work before they passed away. Pursuant to Government Regulation No. 17/1995, if the family of someone killed in an accident cannot be located PT Jasa Raharja will bear the burial cost provided a police statement as evidence of the accident is available. Strangely, in the case of the two unfortunate victims, the police have done virtually nothing although they have all the data about the victims and the accident.

Ridiculously, many high-ranking police officers are ignorant of the fact that by virtue of Instruction of the Police Chief No. Ins/F/E/20/IX/75, a doctor's certificate about a corpse must be based on an autopsy.

However, when one day I went to a police station to have my car license number changed, many police officers enthusiastically offered me their help. One can only conclude there must be an ulterior motive behind this show of kindness.

H.M. HADI S

Cimahi, West Java