ID card raids held to weed out migrants
Indah Setiawati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 10/15/2009 10:56 PM
Annual raids conducted by the population and civil registry agency kicked off Thursday for checks of ID and residence documents of more than 1,000 people in five municipalities.
Agency head Franky Mangatas Panjaitan said his officers had sent 661 people without the proper documents to court, after checking a total of 1,155 people.
He added the court had fined each violator between Rp 20,000 and Rp 50,000 (US$2.10 to $5.25).
An article in the bylaw stipulates a maximum fine of Rp 5 million.
The 2004 bylaw on population and civil registration says anyone not in possession of a valid Jakarta ID card must have a letter from their home authority to say they are in the process of moving to Jakarta.
Those who fail to present either document can face three months in prison or be fined a maximum Rp 5 million.
Franky said the raids were not aimed at severely punishing people, but rather at making people aware of the bylaw.
