TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Traffic Director (Dirlantas) of Metro Jaya Police, Chief Commissioner Latif Usman stated that he was not aware of the problem of illegal levies collected at illegal parking spots that have been rampant in Jakarta.

"I don't know anything about levies, what's important is if there's improper parking, I will take action," said Latif when contacted on Thursday, December 8, 2022.

The Dirlantas of the Metro Jaya Police underlined that his team remains focused on taking enforcement and control. "We have never dealt with who takes care of who, the main thing is if there is anyone violate in traffics, we will take action," he said.

Enforcement and control of illegal parking are routinely carried out every week. "Every Sunday night we conduct, especially the routes that are not in accordance, of course, we will oversee them. Usually, in the Senopati-Sudirman area until back and forth, we will continue policing," he said.

Previously, the Chairman of the Jakarta Residents Forum (Facts), Azas Tigor Nainggolan questioned the handling of illegal parking in Jakarta which has become a problem as a source of traffic jams. He also alluded to the large flow of money from levies through illegal parking up to billions of rupiah in a month.

Azas shared his experience in parking his motorcycle near the Grand Indonesia Mall, which is set at Rp 10,000 per parking. "I parked in the illegal parking area around Grand Indonesia. When I was about to head home and went back to my motorcycle, the parking attendant asked me for a parking fee of Rp 10,000. When I try to offer Rp 5,000, the attendant refused and kept asking me to pay Rp 10,000," said Azas in a written statement, Sunday, December 4, 2022.

Illegal parking Income at Grand Indonesia reaches Rp 50 million a day

Observing the illegal parking at Grand Indonesia, Azas Tigor also calculated the income earned by this illegal parking attendant. "For example, there are approximately 5,000 motorbikes parked there every day, so the income can be about Rp 50 million a day; Rp 1.5 billion a month; and Rp 18 billion a year," Tigor said.

Discussing illegal parking in Jakarta, he said, was no longer a secret. Because the problem attracts groups or organizations to start fighting each other for some location on the road to operate their illegal parking.

He said that this condition had often occurred, even several years ago in Kelapa Gading or Cibubur, there had been riots and fighting over illegal parking.

ALIYYU MEDYATI l IMAJI LASAHIDO

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