Jakarta to bolster public vehicle regulations

The Jakarta Post | Sun, 11/13/2011 6:34 PM

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo says his administration is working on a regulation to govern public vehicles operating conditions such as how old the vehicle is.

“Jakarta will have a regulation that stipulates the age limit for public vehicles,” he said on Sunday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

He said that the regulation would ensure passengers’ safety and comfort and reduce emissions.

“We are thinking of implementing the regulation as it has been implemented in developed countries,” he said.

The Jakarta Transportation Agency plans to set a 10-year vehicle age limit for big buses, eight years for medium buses and seven years for mini buses (mikrolet) and taxis.

However, he said that the regulation would first be discussed with several relevant parties in the matter.

"At the moment, we are waiting for inputs from parties involved such as Organda (the Organization of Land Transportation Owners) and operators," he said.

Public complains over Komodo SMS charges

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 10/31/2011 1:11 PM

The Indonesian Telecommunications Regulatory Body (BRTI) says it has received numerous complaints from members of the public who were charged to vote for Komodo Island in the New7Wonders contest via SMS, a service that was initially touted as free.

At the beginning of the campaign, voting by SMS was said to be free of charge, but apparently cost the sender between Rp 1,000 (11 U.S. cents) and Rp 1,500 per SMS, before the fee was later cut to Rp 1 per SMS over the past three weeks, BRTI member Heru Sutadi said Monday.

“We received complaints regarding Komodo SMS [votes] from the public, who feel they have been wronged," Heru told tempointeraktif.com on Sunday.

He added that the Komodo SMS voting service was provided by Mobilink, in partnership with Indonesia's largest cell phone operator, Telkomsel, among others.

“We will summon Mobilink to question them on the matter. The management must return any funds allegedly taken from the public because it was earlier said to be free,” Heru said.

Public order officer was brains behind robberies: Police

The Jakarta Post | Wed, 05/25/2011 9:41 PM

The police have discovered that a public order officer in Indramayu, West Java, was the brains behind a string of robberies in the town.  

Haji Tri, who lives in Tugu village, Indramayu, owns the house that became the headquarters for a number of thieves specializing in bank and ATM robberies.

“[Haji Tri] is a public order officer and he is now on the wanted list,” Jakarta Police detective unit land and building head Comr. Herry Herryawan said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He said the Haji Tri group had plenty of members.
“This group specialized in bank and ATM machines in minimarkets on the edge of town,” Herry said.

The police conducted a sting at Haji Tri’s house but he was not home, while one suspect managed to escape in a car. The police are still looking for 10 members of the group.

“[The suspect] carried two short-barreled firearms used in the act [of robbing],” Herry said.

The group has carried out eight robberies so far, including a house in Bantar Gebang, Bekasi, in April, an internet café in Cikedung Elor, Indramayu, on May 14 and a Bank Rakyat Indonesia branch in Kandang Haur, Indramayu, last Tuesday.

Expert witness in Bahasyim's trial not a public accountant

Dina Indrasafitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 12/16/2010 12:13 PM | National

The Association of Indonesian Public Accountants (IAPI) announced that Suyanto, the witness who testified in last week’s trial of money laundering suspect Bahasyim Assafie, was not registered as a public accountant, despite being widely quoted as one.

"He is not a member of the IAPI. We checked and he does not have an accountant permit from the Finance Ministry," Tarko Sunaryo, IAPI's secretary-general said.

Last Tuesday, Suyanto testified as an expert witness in former tax official Bahasyim's case. Various media quoted him as a public accountant.

Bahasyim, whose Rp 61 billion ($6.8 million) wealth is stored in more than 10 bank accounts under his and his family members' names, is suspected of money laundering and extortion.

During his testimony, Suyanto said the money was gained through legal means such as businesses and investments.

Suyanto also said the suspicious transfer of Rp 1 billion from Kartini Mulyadi's account to Bahasyim wife's account, to the family's fund manager, and back to the wife's account, was because Kartini was lending them money for business and the family had intended to return the money.

Tarko said that Suyanto was discovered to be staff at a public accountant's office.

"If he was acting under a superior's order [and was claiming to be a public accountant] then the superior could be given a sanction," Tarko said.