Alleged hoodlums caught selling 'protection stickers'
JAKARTA (JP): Police have apprehended 16 alleged hoodlums from Tanah Abang -- including two teenagers and a woman -- for allegedly coercing minivan drivers to purchase protection "stickers", city police chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said yesterday.
Three of the suspects were arrested Tuesday night and the remaining 13 Wednesday night, Hamami said after installing the new chief of East Jakarta Police precinct.
"Some of the hoodlums were busted by undercover police, who stood in for some of the striking M-11 minivan drivers," the two- star general said.
More than 100 drivers of M-11 and M-09 minivans plying the Tanah Abang-Kebon Jeruk and Tanah Abang-Kebayoran Lama routes respectively, went on strike for three consecutive days from Monday.
The drivers were protesting against the longtime intimidation and extortion practices of Tanah Abang hoodlums.
The recent distribution of Himpunan Pengemudi Mikrolet (minivan drivers' association) stickers, escalated the drivers' frustration and prompted the strike, which left thousands of commuters stranded.
There have been no reports of drivers being attacked for refusing to buy the stickers which, the sellers claim, are to secure the drivers' existence in the area.
Many of the minivan drivers, who earn about Rp 10,000 per day, complained that they were forced to pay between Rp 2,000 (US$60 cent) and Rp 3,000 for each sticker.
Hamami said the stickers were issued by an organization, Tanah Abang Minivan Drivers' Association, allegedly chaired by notorious hoodlum leader Hercules.
City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said 10 of the 13 suspects were caught red-handed coercing the drivers to buy the stickers.
Police seized Rp 24,700, a hook, an ice pick and a bottle of Vodka allegedly belonging to the suspects.
Aritonang said the behavior of the suspects during questioning surprised the police officers.
Backing
"If you look in their eyes, you may get the feeling that these hoodlums don't seem to be afraid, in any way, of being detained by law enforcers," he claimed.
"It's as if they're really sure of the men backing them."
He said the 16 people arrested had said they knew nothing about the group producing the stickers.
"They always say that they sold the stickers because they wanted to do so, not because they were following the orders of Hercules or another party."
The suspects sold the stickers to minivan drivers, allegedly promising that the stickers would ensure the hoodlums did not extort money from them, he said.
Aritonang said his office was still gathering evidence against the hoodlums.
"In order to take these hoodlums down, we need more than just their confessions, but also people's experiences and testimony," he said. "So please, report your case to the police."
The municipality announced yesterday another plan to crack down on hoodlums and other troublemakers in the capital.
Toha Reno, the head of a public order office subdivision, said the city is to set up a joint program to deal with social misfits and other groups considered a burden to Jakarta.
"Among them are hoodlums, vagrants, beggars, three-in-one jockeys and prostitutes. The city and other related agencies will hold a special meeting to discuss it within the next week," he said.
When asked how to handle hoodlums, Toha admitted that the laws and regulations were inadequate to ensure hoodlums were caught.
"There is only city bylaw No.11/1988 about disturbing public order, which carries a light sentence and fine.
"Actually, hoodlums are like ghost. They're very hard to catch, especially if we don't have a sufficient legal base."
Arresting hoodlums and putting them in jail will not solve the problem, he said.
"They have criminal tendencies. Tougher action must be taken against them. Give the hoodlums warnings if necessary."
According to a spokesman for the Jakarta Agency for the Coordination of Support for the Development of National Stability (Bakorstanasda), Lt. Col. DJ Nachrowi, it was possible that the hoodlums' illegal businesses had the support of certain security officers.
"It could be that security officers are involved in the case," he said. "If that's right we will not tolerate it but we haven't found any evidence of this."
Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said raids against hoodlums in Tanah Abang should be followed up with a cleanup of the area's street traders.
"We can't just get rid of the hoodlums, only to create other problems in other areas," Sjafrie said Wednesday evening.
Sjafrie vowed to take harsh action against any of his personnel if they were caught colluding with hoodlums. (cst/07/05/jun)