Alleged hoodlums caught selling 'protection stickers'
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)