Unlawful sale of 18 'becak' causes a stir

TANGERANG (JP): Mayor Djakaria Machmud pledged to take stern action against officials if they were found guilty of selling 18 becak (pedicab) netted in a routine operation recently.

Speaking at a weekly morning ceremony early this week, Djakaria reminded his staff that the officials' alleged behavior had tarnished the image of the Tangerang mayoralty office.

"If the pedicabs were to be destroyed there's a legal procedure that should be followed."

He said the incident was humiliating because lawyers for the pedicab owners had reported it to the National Commission on Human Rights.

He, however, did not disclose the identities of the suspects or their positions.

The allegations surfaced after the pedicab owners questioned the whereabouts of their vehicles because they wanted to redeem them.

After paying some money, the owners were told to go to a certain place to take their becak but they were nowhere to be found.

Weeks later, one owner noticed his pedicab in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, being driven by a local becak driver.

The driver reportedly said he bought it from a woman and the woman claimed she bought it from a Tangerang official.

A mayoralty investigation revealed that 18 becak were confiscated in Cileduk and later sold for a total of Rp 700,000 (US$107.70), Antara said.

Djakaria promised to take responsibility for the crime. (bsr)