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City works with police, military to create 'order'

Jakarta Post - April 25, 2015

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Dewanti A. Wardhani, Jakarta – The Jakarta administration will enlist this year the help of the military and the police to enforce order among its millions of residents through the implementation of the 5 Orderly Jakarta (5TJ) program.

Earlier this year, Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama signed Gubernatorial Decree No. 224, which announced the 5TJ implementation in cooperation with the National Police, the Indonesian Military (TNI), and the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal & Security Affairs Minister.

The 5TJ consists of Tertib Pedagang Kaki Lima (orderly street vendors), Tertib Hunian (orderly residences), Tertib Buang Sampah (orderly waste-disposal), Tertib Berlalu Lintas (orderly traffic) and Tertib Berdemo (orderly protests).

The decree also designated a 5TJ working group, headed by regional secretary assistant on governance Bambang Sugiyono. Deputy chairmen of the working group include officials from the TNI and police.

Jakarta, the capital of the third-largest democracy in the world, is set to deploy TNI and police officers whenever needed to achieve the 5TJ objectives.

Rujak Center for Urban Studies researcher Dian Tri Irawaty said the program would intimidate Jakartans. "The thought of armed men is intimidating. Residents will be more scared than obedient," she said.

Dian said she was worried the program would be a justification for the city administration to forcefully evict residents from their homes and vendors from the streets. She questioned the governor's decision to "hire" TNI and police officers to restore order in the city, as the city already had an agency tasked with doing so.

The city administration last year aired plans to arm Satpol PP officers, but the plan was met with protests from residents, Dian said. Satpol PP officers are currently only equipped with a truncheon.

"Assertive discipline is necessary in Jakarta, I agree, but it is not necessary to intimidate residents with armed men," she said.

However, Ahok, formerly a member of the Golkar Party and the Gerindra Party, said an assertive approach was necessary, especially in a large and populous city like Jakarta.

"We need to take a more assertive approach in governing Jakarta. However, assertive does not mean we will be physically rough on residents," Ahok said.

Ahok said he was impressed by the discipline and orderliness on display in a recent visit to an unspecified military office. The impression, he said, lead him to establish the 5TJ.

He said that the city this year would give provide per diem compensation for TNI and police officers who lent their services to the 5TJ program. According to Gubernatorial Regulation No. 138/2015 on TNI/Police officer honorarium in Jakarta, the city will deploy TNI and police officers for any activities in which additional help was needed.

Each officer will receive a total of Rp 283,000 (US$22) per day from the city administration: Rp 250,000 for their work, and Rp 38,000 for a meal allowance. The pay will be distributed through the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP).

"Rather than paying a daily honorarium for Satpol PP and Transportation Agency officers, it would be better to utilize TNI and police officers. Satpol PP and Transportation Agency officers do not perform [well]. TNI and police officers are far more disciplined," Ahok said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/25/city-works-with-police-military-create-order.html.