Pros And Cons Of Patwal RI 36: Indonesian Officials Use Public Transportation Almost Impossible

Special Envoy for the President for the Young Generation and Art Workers Raffi Ahmad at the inauguration of the Indonesian Genre Forum (FGI) in Jakarta, Thursday (23/1/2025). (ANTARA/Lintang Budiyanti Prameswari)

JAKARTA Finding officials who want to use public transportation to work every day is a rare thing, according to him, is a rare thing in Indonesia, according to Djoko Setijowarno, Deputy Chairperson of Empowerment and Development of the Central Indonesian Transportation Society Region (MTI).

A patrol and escort officer (patwal) was highlighted by netizens after a viral video on social mesia. In the video, a patwal is seen being called arrogant on the road while escorting an official car with the RI plate 36 on Wednesday (8/1/2025).

In the video circulating, the patent is seen pointing at a Toyota Alphard taxi driver when escorting RI 36. Warganet assumed the patent was trying to reprimand the taxi driver for obstructing the car he was escorting.

Meanwhile, Wadirlantas AKBP Argo in his release said that Patwal gave a gesture to appoint a taxi driver because he was involved in a commotion with another driver, causing almost a collision.

However, the patwal gesture still drew criticism from the public. Moreover, previously it was not known who was in the car with the RI 36 plate.

After guessing, the important person who got the official car with the RI 36 plate was finally revealed. He is Raffi Ahmad, the Presidential Special Envoy for the Young Generation and Art Workers.

However, Raffi said he was not in the car at the time of the incident. The car was on its way to pick him up after picking up some important files before proceeding to the next meeting.

Patwal is a police unit tasked with escorting convoys of VIP vehicles, convoys of humanitarian aid, or other priority vehicles such as firefighters and ambulances. With special capabilities, Patwal personnel are tasked with ensuring trouble-free travel for the vehicles they control.

The convoy of vehicles with RI plates 36 made an unfavorable perception from the public. This incident sparked debate on social media. On the one hand, the public considers escort for officials, including special envoys, to be commonplace.

But on the other hand, the escort is not needed, especially if you reflect on Raffi Ahmad's confession that he was not in the car.

"The philosophy of living in that city is living together, because there are many people. If everyone asks for priority, there will be social jealousy," said MTI Chairman Tory Damantoro.

Regarding escorts for officials, road users who get the main rights have been regulated in Article 134 of Law Number 22 of 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation to take precedence, namely fire engines carrying out their duties, ambulances transporting sick people, vehicles to provide assistance in traffic accidents.

In addition, there are also vehicles led by the State Institutions of the Republic of Indonesia, vehicles of leaders and officials of foreign countries as well as international institutions that are state guests, convoys of corpse delivery, and convoys and/or vehicles for certain interests, according to the consideration of Indonesian State Police officers.

In Article 135 of the same Law, it is stated that Vehicles that have the main rights must be escorted by Indonesian State Police officers and/or use red or blue lights and sirens.

Basically, said Djoko Setijowarno, using road facilities and infrastructure for traffic purposes is everyone's human right. Everyone has the same right to use the road for traffic. No one has the right to be prioritized, unless it is based on the applicable laws and regulations.

Existing laws and regulations provide opportunities for certain people or vehicles used for certain purposes to get priority using roads for traffic.

"The essence of the escort is none other than providing security, both for vehicles that are escorted, as well as for other road users who are around the vehicle being escorted. Because it involves security, the most authorized party is the Police. Because security is part of the main task of the Police," said Djoko.

Of course it is common knowledge that roads in Jakarta, cities where almost all officials live, are often hit by traffic jams. Therefore, according to Djoko, with the hustle and bustle of congestion in the city of Jakarta, escort should be limited to the president and vice president.

Meanwhile, other state officials do not need to be escorted like the president and vice president. "If it is necessary, there must be a meeting, public transportation in Jakarta in Jakarta has provided services whose coverage is equivalent to cities in the world, namely 89.5 percent of the Jakarta area," he said.

All residential housing and residential areas in Jakarta, said Djoko, have been served by public transportation. This means that the availability of public transportation services in Jakarta is not much different from other world cities where people and officials are used to using public transportation.

Imagine if every day more than 100 vehicles had to be escorted by the police to their places of activity, then the streets in Jakarta would become more congested and trigger the stress of their users, especially with the sound of the sirens of the patwal vehicle.

The road that is built through tax collection is used by the general public. Of course, all people have the right to enjoy it, unless there are specificities for certain vehicles after Article 134 of the Road Traffic and Transportation Law," Djoko explained.

"Supposedly, state officials get used to using public transportation, at least once a week. Mixed with the general public, they will know the real condition of people's lives," he concluded.

Officials who are sensitive to people's social lives are needed. It is rare in Indonesia if you can find an official who wants to use public transportation every day to work. Law enforcement officers who oversee certain activities because they receive a certain amount of money must also be put in order.