TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Home Minister, Gamawan Fauzi, said the ministry will take firm actions against people who charge illegal levies to process electronic identity cards (E-KTP). The minister has also asked for the help from the media to extensively report such cases should they appear.

"If there was an illegal levy, please expose it and I will take further actions because it's a crime," he said yesterday.

According to Regulation Number 24 of 2013, village officials who collect illegal fees to process birth certificates, identity cards, and other documents will be sentenced to jail for five years and fined Rp75 million.

The Home Minister has no special team to monitor the matter since it is the respective regions' authorities, regional heads and legislative council to watch such cases, said Minister Gamawan.

"The truth is if it's already a regulation, then everyone is responsible. The police and juries can take further actions," he said.

Gamawan admitted his party has heard illegal levies were carried out in a number of areas, when in fact, those areas have been given the opportunity to print their own E-KTP since January 1.

TIKA PRIMANDARI