Insp. Gen. Pudji Hartanto Iskandar: We don't want to fall twice  

For more than a year, the Traffic Unit of the National Police headquarters has been under public scrutiny.  The corruption case involving that very unit not too long ago put Djoko Susilo in jail.  Today, this Traffic Unit must account for the shortage in motor vehicle license plate forms (STNK) as well as the motor vehicle owners' booklet (BPKP). 

As a result, people who just purchased cars or want to transfer ownership of cars can only get temporary documents instead.  What caused the shortage of these forms? The police chief in charge of the traffic unit, Pudji Hartanto Iskandar gave his explanation to Tempo reporters Tri Artining Putri, Setri Yasra and Widiarsi Agustina, last week. Excerpts:

On the short supply of forms, is it true the police are in the dark over this problem?

That's not true.  We had predicted this condition.  When the stock dwindles, we give out temporary STNKs and BPKBs.  There's also a cross subsidy to supply regions which face these shortages.  These critical times are April to June.  In July, we hope the situation improves because the tenders are over.  I have given my explanation to headquarters on May 16. Unfortunately, the media did not report it sufficiently. We even went to the Indonesian Consumers Institute to explain this problem.

But why should this shortage happen at all?

First, we are restructuring the procurement system according to regulations.  Secondly, the plan slipped somewhat because of the increase in the price of vehicles. As a result, the three-month stock were used up much earlier than scheduled.  Because it involves a new budget, everything had to be recalculated.  The new rates came out only in February and we must wait for a circular from the Finance Ministry on its financial management.  They said it would only be issued on April and only after that could be begin with the bids.  In line with Presidential Decree No. 70/2012, commitment-making officials must not sign anything before the budget is approved.

How bad is the impact of the shortage? 

It's not that serious because we had anticipated the problem by providing temporary documents.  There is no problem about legality.  We already discussed it with the Attorney General's Office and the courts.  Those documents are still valid because we officially issue them, and they can become evidence in court in cases of fines and so forth.  We also invited a branding and leasing agency to publicize this issue.  All this is being done as a consequence of the system restructuring.  We are just the professionals.  We don't want to end up like recent cases (the Djoko Susilo case-Ed.)

You seem to be very cautious. 

I just want to comply with the regulations and be professional.  I could make it faster but the regulations make it impossible.  We even had to bid on the BPKB forms twice, but the result came out the same. 

You mean the usual old players?

No.  They are companies who previously registered and registered again?

But are the participants the same ones over again? 

Don't make it look as if we set the conditions.  Our intentions are clean.  Say there are only two companies bidding, both are capable and one of my brothers wants to bid for it.  Isn't that allowed?  The important thing is that there is no partiality.  We don't want to fall down twice in a row.

So it's true, the players are the same people? 

If they are capable, well, why not.  We cannot stop anyone from taking part in the bidding.  Our system is open.  If one can defeat the other fairly, why not?

Is it true that a few officers from the Traffic Unit are planning out projects?

That's not possible.  I have locked the process: everything must be open, without pre-conditions.  Those who have the machinery or the money, go ahead and bid for it.

Will the Police Cooperative (Primkoppol) take part in the tender this year?

The involvement of the Primkoppol is part of operational collaboration, particularly in the area of distribution.  If other companies can do it, go ahead and bid for it.  Every two weeks, I gather the auction committee to remind them of the alerts.  If I hear about the committee meeting businessman A or B, I will straighten them out.  They can meet, but they must not intervene in the tender process.

The interview is also available on print on this week's edition of Tempo English Weekly (June 24 to 30).