Vigilantes conduct random vehicle checks

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam

A group of people has imposed random vehicle checks since Thursday on cars entering and leaving the employee dormitory complex at Batamindo Industrial Park in Muka Kuning, Batam.

The vehicle check is aimed at nailing private cars illegally being operated as public transportation vehicles.

The ad hoc group, wearing uniforms inscribed with the logo of the Batamindo Industrial Park Transportation Union, demanded drivers and passengers passing through the checkpoint to show ID cards, marriage certificates and family ID cards in order to determine whether they were riding in private or public transportation cars.

"If they fail to show their IDs, or if they have the IDs but it is proven that they have no family connection or they do not know each other, we will charge them Rp 75,000," said Suparman, a member of the group.

He said the Rp 75,000 "fine" was imposed to deter the owners of private vehicles from extorting passengers' money by fraudulently operating as public transportation.

He said the extortion could not be tolerated, because it cut into the revenues of public transportation operators, their drivers and conductors.

In Indonesia, public transportation vehicles always carry a yellow license plate, while private cars carry black license plates. Owners of public transportation vehicles must also pay higher vehicular taxes than private car owners, as their vehicles are used for commercial purposes.

Suparman said the random check had started on Thursday and did not know how long it would be implemented.

Heated arguments have often erupted between the group and drivers and passengers of cars passing through the checkpoint.

However, most drivers of private cars could do nothing, as they were outnumbered by the ad hoc group.

Sutrisno, a private car driver, recalled when his sedan was stopped by the group, who ordered him to show his ID and family ID cards and prove his family ties with the two women -- his wife and sister -- riding in the car with him.

"I brought my ID card, but I didn't have my family ID card, so I had to pay them Rp 75,000," he said.

Separately, Batamindo Industrial Park general manager Jhon Sulistiawan said that he had not been informed of the random checks, and denied that the park had specifically employed the group to conduct random vehicle checks.

"They must be thugs," he said, adding that he would look into the matter immediately.

Batamindo Industrial Park is home to some 70 foreign investment companies and approximately 69,000 employees, many of whom live in dormitories provided in the complex.