Traffic agency criticized for ticketing violators
Traffic agency criticized for ticketing violators
JAKARTA (JP): Regardless of the harsh criticism from city
councilors, the Municipal Traffic and Land Transportation Control
Agency (DLLAJR) is still issuing traffic tickets to traffic
violators in West Jakarta.
On Saturday, for example, the Agency sent 45 traffic violators
to trials at the West Jakarta District Court. Most of them were
public transport drivers, who were faced with fines ranging from
Rp 10,000 (US$4.6) to Rp 20,000 ($9.2), plus a Rp 600 (27 cents)
administrative fee.
According to the 1992 Traffic Law, the police are the only
institution with the authority to issue tickets to traffic
offenders. The agency can only identify violators and hand them
over to the police, who will issue the red tickets. The violators
are then required to go the appointed bank to pay the fine before
they can get their documents or vehicles back from the police.
Officials from the bank have reportedly refused to accept
payment for the white traffic tickets issued by the Agency.
Theo Marbun, an agency official, denied the allegations thrown
by city councilor that the tickets issued by the agency are
unlawful. He added that the ticket issuance is based on a 1972
gubernatorial decree and Article 61 of the 1992 Traffic Law.
Theo said that Agency officials impose the fines on violators
in their capacity as civilian investigators.
However, Ismail Sebayang, spokesman of the West Jakarta
District Court, said the agency could not use the 1992 Traffic
Law as its legal ground. He also considers the fines imposed by
the agency to be improper.
A similar statement was released by Saud Rachman, a city
councilor from the United Development Party (PPP). He said that
the agency's action is illegal and urged the agency's chief to
punish any subordinates found guilty of issuing tickets to
traffic offenders.
The Suara Karya daily reported yesterday that the traffic
tickets issued by the agency have created confusion at the West
Jakarta District Court.
The court has to provide two separate rooms to handle the
traffic violation cases, one to be used for the cases sent by the
West Jakarta police precinct, another by the agency.
The daily also reported that the twin management has resulted
in confusion among traffic violators. (03)