Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has applauded the Jakarta Police'€™s plan to decriminalize street racing, saying doing so will help reduce accidents.

Ahok said on Wednesday that decriminalizing street racing was the best way to ensure the security of those involved in the racing, as well as the general public.

He noted that while illegal street racing resulted in frequent accidents, racing on designated tracks saw few such incidents, as formal racing organizations can monitor security and provide protective clothing.

"Zooming around the streets is very dangerous; it'€™d be better to formalize racing. The [designated] streets would be equipped with bumpers for safety," the governor said as quoted by kompas.com.

Designated streets would be closed during races, with the city administration and the Jakarta Police cooperating to arrange race venues and schedules.

"It'€™d be better if the racers were obliged to wear helmets and the circuits were equipped with safety rubber," Ahok said.

Jakarta Police traffic division chief Sr. Comr. Risyapudin said on Tuesday that his office would work with the Indonesian Motorcycle Association (IMI) to organize formal racing in response to the popularity, especially among teenagers, of illegal racing on the night-time streets of the city.

The plan will be formally implemented in February on streets including Jl. Benyamin Sueb in Kemayoran and Jl. Asia Afrika in Senayan, both in Central Jakarta, as well as Jl. TMII in East Jakarta. (rin)(+)

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