Registered license plate allegedly sold
JAKARTA (JP): City Traffic Police allegedly have sold a car registration number already belonging to a city resident, to a top general at the National Police headquarters, a source at the city traffic police said on Monday.
The source who requested anonymity said that the registration number B 1 MA, that was registered for a Land Cruiser on March 17 this year, has been allegedly sold by the city traffic police to a senior police officer.
The owner of the Land Cruiser paid Rp 53 million (US$7,066) for the vehicle ownership conversion fee (BBN), the officer said.
The officer said that on March 21, a top police general at the National Police headquarters made a proposal to the Jakarta chief of traffic police Col. Nyoman Sukesna, to buy that number.
"Another proposal was made by the same general to the city revenue agency, so that the police officer could be freed of car tax," the officer said.
"At that time, the city traffic police were offering to buy off the registration number for the general for Rp 80 million. The general then asked for some concessions."
"He also was informed by the city revenue agency, that if he wanted to be freed of taxes (for the car) to forward the proposal to the Revenue Agency Headquarters."
Same number
Nevertheless, when reporters checked out the registration number at the traffic police, it was found out that the adjutant of the general had already taken the number, for the general.
"So, there is a Mercedes Benz with the car registration number B 1 MA, and also a Land Cruiser with the same number," the officer said.
"These kinds of corrupt practices are so rampant in our traffic police, it is unimaginable. You just have to look at the registration numbers of most luxury cars on our roads, and you'll know."
Neither Nyoman, nor National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dadang Garnida, nor the top general who allegedly bought off the number could be reached on Monday night for comment.
Separately, city police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said that this was the first he had heard of the matter.
"I have not heard of this at all... I don't know where you got this information," Zainuri told The Jakarta Post. (ylt)