Public order bylaw to be revised

JAKARTA: The City Council has promised to revise Bylaw No. 11/1988 on public order which has often been used by the city public order officers as the legal basis to evict street vendors and poor people living in slums.

Deputy Chairman of the City Council's Commission A for administrative and legal affairs Mardjuan Bachri said the bylaw was among 54 bylaws and proposed bylaws which would be discussed by the City Council this year.

"The revision of the bylaw is part of our agenda, therefore we welcome any ideas from the people to revise our new bylaws on public order," Mardjuan said while meeting with the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) and the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) on Thursday.

During the meeting, Fakta chairman Azas Tigor Nainggolan submitted Fakta's version of the draft bylaw on public order.

Tigor stressed the need to revise the bylaw as thousands of poor people have become victims of evictions, losing their houses and means of livelihood and the places from which they run small- scale businesses.--JP