Public hail license renewal service

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ardi walked out of a parked bus in Central Jakarta and shouted happily while waving his new driver's license in his left hand.

"Unbelievable! I still cannot believe I was able to renew my driver's license for just Rp 85,000 and it was so fast. This is the first time in my life I have dealt with the police and it did not take the whole day," the 40-year-old ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver told The Jakarta Post.

Ardi said he spent all of 20 minutes renewing his driver's license.

Eying the bus parked at the Gramedia building on Jl. Palmerah Selatan incredulously, Ardi said a driver's license was everything for an ojek driver.

Ardi, who lives in Palmerah district, said all an ojek driver needed to earn a living was his motorcycle and a driver's license.

The Jakarta Police have introduced a new mobile driver's license renewal service. Special air-conditioned buses equipped with computers, cameras and other equipment, at a cost of Rp 2 billion each, have been traveling around the city since February.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said people could call up the Jakarta Police to arrange for the bus to come to their area during normal working hours.

"The bus will come if at least three people want to renew their licenses. We hope this program helps improve the image of the police and reinforces that we are here to serve people," he said.

There have been over the years frequent complaints about the service at the police office on Jl. Daan Mogot in West Jakarta where residents had to go to renew their licenses. It was begrudgingly accepted by most people that they had to pay more than the official fee if they wanted to get a new driver's license.

To renew or make a new driver's license, applicant had to pay anywhere from Rp 200,000 and Rp 350,000, even though the official fees were Rp 85,000 for a renewal and Rp 110,000 for a new license.

Making the situation even more difficult was the perception that officers were eager to fail applicants so they could collect even more money from them.

At the bus in Palmerah, Second Brig. Kuwat greeted applicants and residents with a smile. The applicants patiently waited in line in front of the bus.

"We go around the city every day according to where the callers are from. We charge people no more than the official fee," he told the Post.

Agung, 25, an employee at a nearby company, said he was grateful the bus came to the area because he did not have time to go to the police office to renew his license.

"This is what we expect from the police. Although many of my friends were disappointed because the bus does not accept applicants who want to make new licenses, I think what the police are doing is quite revolutionary," he said.