Strict controls imposed on SIM applicants

JAKARTA (JP): In compliance with the nationwide campaign for the eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN), the city police have instituted strict controls on obtaining or renewing driver's licenses since early this month.

Under the new policy, license applicants must personally come to the Jakarta Police driving license processing unit on Jl. Daan Mogot in West Jakarta, instead of making use of services offered by middle men or driving schools.

According to city police traffic chief Col. Nyoman Sukesna, the strict system has recorded some 200 to 400 applicants failed to obtain driver's licenses per day.

"This is clean testing. No scalpers, or whatever people call them," Nyoman told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

However, several parties, including officers at the license processing office, believe that the tight policies will not last for long.

"Just contact me in two weeks and I can help expedite procedures to obtain your license. I cannot do it now because we are still under control," said a female employee who was screening incoming visitors at the building's gate on Monday.

She did not wear a police uniform, but civilian clothes with a police pin. Only genuine license applicants were allowed to enter the building.

The woman said that the police imposed tighter controls on licensing procedures in response to the nationwide campaign to abolish KKN practices.

"This is what the people want, isn't it," she said with a dead-pan look.

Hundreds of people swamped the processing office on Monday. They stood in line for hours to accomplish all the procedures required for a license.

Lina, a Tangerang resident, told The Jakarta Post early this month that it took her five hours to go through all the procedures to obtain the license.

"It took me more than one hour just to get a health form," she cited an example.

"What troubled me was that I failed at the final stage, the practical test," she said.

Commenting on the trouble that the applicants have to go through during the process, a female police officer said, "It's nice to pay a low (driver's license) fee, isn't it. But don't blame officers if you don't pass the test. This is what the people want....," Lina quoted the officer as saying.

With the newly introduced system, scalpers, agents and driving schools now reject all customers, unless the latter are willing to delay processing their licenses until next week.

A scalper, Muji, who is also an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver, suggested that customers come to the license processing office after May 20.

"I heard that it is on May 20 when the tight control mechanism is no longer in effect. So just look for me then if you want a faster process," he said.

Muji refused to mention the fee for his service, saying: "the situation changes so frequently that I cannot determine the fee now."

"Actually the control mechanism intensity already has decreased, but the officers are still afraid of receiving bribes," he said.

Eddy Gunawan, owner of a driving license service in Grogol area of West Jakarta, flatly rejected the customers who asked for his service.

"We've been out of the business since last month. Just come here after May 20, when the control period will end," he said.

Eddy hinted that he cooperated with the "inner-circle" at the driver license processing unit.

"I just call them every time I have customers, and they will then pick the required documents. The customers then can have the license within three days," he said.

The tariff for processing the license at his company is Rp 125,000, while the official tariff is only Rp 52,500.

Similarly, driving schools temporarily have quit offering a driving course package because of the new policy.

"You pay Rp 150,000 for the driving course first, then call us later to check whether we can also serve you by obtaining the driver license for an additional Rp 230,000," said an employee at PT Ulisa driving school in Central Jakarta.

In the past, students at such driving schools could obtain licenses at the end of the course.

Similar thoughts were aired by an instructor at Persemija driving school in North Jakarta.

"Only after May 20 can we offer you the driving course package," he said, adding that the course fee was Rp 200,000 and the license processing fee was Rp 225,000. (ind/ylt)