'The police do not act agains thugs'

Responding to increasing complaints about crime in the city, the Jakarta administration, police and military launched the first- ever official crackdown on thuggery and lawlessness. The Jakarta Post asked residents for their thoughts on thugs and this new campaign.

Taruna, 35, works at a trading company in West Jakarta. He lives with his wife and children in Senen, Central Jakarta:

I have had several experiences with thugs in Jakarta. When I deliver goods to customers around the capital, I often have to pay thousands of rupiah to the thugs. There are several groups of thugs that I have to give money to along my route.

I have no choice but to give them money because I do not want to risk something happening to the merchandise. I could lose my job. My company does not want to know anything about it. All they want to know is that the goods are delivered on time.

What really makes me mad is that the police do not do anything about the thugs.

I want to see the police get serious about cracking down on the thugs. If there are still thugs along my route over the next several days, then I will know the policy is nothing more than lip service and I will stop believing in the police.

Astuti, 41, owns several clothing shops in Jakarta. She lives with her two daughters in Pancoran, South Jakarta:

Thugs are everywhere now. One of my daughters was mugged by a group of thugs in a public minivan in broad daylight last week. They took all of her belongings. And even though there were lots of people around, nobody did anything to help her.

That is why I very much support the police's plan to crack down on thugs. Just arrest them all.

Normal people are easy targets for the thugs. If we cannot depend on the police, where else can we turn to for protection?

I hope the police drive all the thugs out of Jakarta as soon as possible so I will not have to worry about my daughters anymore.

-- The Jakarta Post