Traffic police versus city bus

Traffic police versus city bus

From Kompas

On Aug. 6, 1994 I boarded a Metromini S-74 bus from Jalan Veteran to Blok M. It was the first time ever I rode on a Metromini bus whose driver was not a driver from hell.

When the bus passed Jalan Pakubuwono VI the driver saw a group of police in the distance and he ordered his conductor to close the front door in compliance with the new regulation. The rear door was already closed.

The police, seeing the conductor closing the door, asked the bus to stop. After checking the driver's and vehicle's licenses the driver was ushered to the patrol car of the policemen.

When the driver came back to the bus I made an effort to ask him what had happened. The driver said that he paid "solution" money of Rp 2,000.

The driver said he asked the policemen what kind of a violation he had committed. He said the police replied: "Shut your mouth."

The questioning took 15 minutes during which the driver was not allowed to defend himself.

This is a rather ridiculous incident in the wake of a somewhat improved law enforcement ruling, as it was the law enforcers who persisted in employing their own rulings.

I hope this letter will serve as information to the authorities.

Name and address

withheld