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