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Police, agency still at odds on standardized helmets
While motorcyclists have voiced complaints of the possibility of extortion due to uncertainty in the local standardized helmets ruling, police and the National Standards Agency (BSN) are at odds over enforcing the regulation
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hile motorcyclists have voiced complaints of the possibility of extortion due to uncertainty in the local standardized helmets ruling, police and the National Standards Agency (BSN) are at odds over enforcing the regulation.
Jakarta Police continue to tolerate certain helmets irrespective of brand or design while the agency insists that all motorcyclists must use locally produced standard helmets with an embossed SNI (Indonesian National Standards) logo.
The traffic police’s law enforcement division chief, Adj. Sr. Comr. Johansson Ronald Simamora, said Thursday that police would allow motorcyclists to wear international standard helmets. “However, this is a temporary measure,” Johansson said, adding that police have not decide when they would begin enforcing the use of SNI-logo helmets.
He said police would make use of this period to campaign to the public on the use of the SNI helmets as part of efforts to reduce fatalities and serious injuries in traffic accidents involving motorcyclists.
Despite the police promise not to impose sanctions during this period, motorcyclists have complained of being extorted by police officers for wearing non-SNI helmets.
One motorcyclist commented on a social networking site that an officer extorted her friend Rp 200,000 (US$22) because while she wore an international standard helmet, it did not have the SNI logo.
Another motorcyclist, Rizki Mahardiani, called on police not to fine those wearing international standard helmets that weren’t SNI-certified. “International standard helmets are of higher quality than those produced in Indonesia,” he said.
Johansson claimed that his division had not received such complaints since the ruling came into effect on April 1. However, he admitted that some officers did ask for money instead of issuing tickets to those who violated other traffic regulations.
Dewi Odjar Ratna Komala, the standards agency’s deputy chairwoman for information, insisted that motorcyclists who used international standards helmets should purchase an SNI-certified helmet.
Dewi argued that helmets made in other countries carried different safety requirements and specifications. She added that by wearing SNI-certified helmets, motorcyclists also showed their appreciation of local products.
There are currently eight major helmet manufacturers and 52 smaller helmet makers authorized to produce SNI-certified helmets.
Under the 2009 Traffic Law, beginning April 2010, motorcyclists must wear standardized helmets. Violators face one month in prison or Rp 250,000 in fines.
