Raid on ID cards

Raid on ID cards

From Kompas

On Nov. 25, I was on my way home from Citraland in Slipi, West
Jakarta around 11 p.m. when I noticed that a raid was going on.
The cab I occupied was one of many nabbed by officials.

They were checking identity cards. As it happened, I did not
have mine with me because the new one was still in the making.

I showed the officials a photocopy of my original ID card from
Jakarta instead. However, I was surprised when the official told
me that photocopying an ID card is similar to making a photocopy
of money.

I would have liked to ask the official how he could have
judged me in this way. I also could not forget how the official
inquired about the amount of money I had with me. I did not
produce any money at the time, because I had no intentions
whatsoever of giving the official even one rupiah. Hence, a brief
hassle occurred.

In light of this incident, is it usual for an official to ask
how much money one has in one's pocket? Was it an ID card raid,
or a raid on people's money?

We hope that the incident could be regarded as useful input
for the authorities, and serve as introspective matter for me, as
well as for the respective officials.

HARY K.

Jakarta