Rp 2.5 billion set aside for new ID cards

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang | Mon, 11/10/2008 11:11 AM  

The Tangerang regional administration has allocated Rp 2.5 billion (US$226 million) from its budget to change the ID cards of residents living in the southern part of the regency. 

This follows the approval for the autonomous South Tangerang City (Tangsel) from the House of Representatives. 

"We have proposed Rp 2.5 billion through the 2009 budget for the conversion of ID cards because South Tangerang will no longer be part of the regency," Didi Hersadi, head of the regional demography and statistics agency, said Saturday. 

Residents have the option of changing their ID cards, he said, adding that the administration would allow residents to keep their old IDs for the time being if they wanted to. 

Didi said some residents would probably keep their old ID cards because a new card would require them to make adjustment to some details, like their bank accounts. 

"The most important thing is that the administration has prepared funds from the budget," he said. 

South Tangerang City has a total population of 1.7 million, and 650,000 of them are obliged to hold ID cards, he said. 

The administration has estimated that there will be as many as 700,000 residents requiring new ID cards. The budget allocation was based on the number of new ID card applicants. 

Separately, Pamulang district office secretary Ahmad Firdaus said the district office had received 2,000 new ID card applications from the agency. 

Tangerang regional administration assistant Mas Iman Kusnandar said, in compliance with a bylaw on retribution, the application process for a new ID card costed Rp 5,000 each.--JP