Can Tanah Abang Be Free from Illegal Parking and Extortion?

JAKARTA - The practice of illegal parking and extortion (pungli) in the Tanah Abang area of Central Jakarta appears to be an unresolved issue. Despite frequent crackdowns by officials, the phenomenon continues to resurface in similar patterns, from unofficial parking fees to acts of intimidation against road users. Eight men suspected of being illegal parking attendants were arrested on Monday (16/2/2026), after charging up to Rp 100,000 for cars and Rp 60,000 for motorbikes. Not long after, on Monday (23/2/2026), similar practices were discovered again. Ad-hoc motorbike parking is still visible in front of Block A and Block B of Tanah Abang Market, charging Rp 5,000 without time limits. The parking attendants even admitted to operating in a “cat-and-mouse” manner with officials. On the other hand, thuggery also emerged on Monday (13/4/2026), when a bajaj driver claimed he had to pay up to Rp 100,000 per day to avoid intimidation. Police have arrested one perpetrator, while others remain under investigation. This series of incidents shows that the enforcement carried out has not yet been able to break the chain of extortion practices in the area. In fact, many vehicle users choose to park on the roadside because it is closer to their destination and not bound by an hourly system. However, this choice unwittingly strengthens the illegal practice. When users are willing to pay, even though they know it is unofficial, the extortion practice continues to thrive. Public policy expert Trubus Rahardiansyah believes that this condition cannot be separated from the permissiveness that has occurred over time. “Actually, it is unreasonable and should not be allowed. But because it has been allowed repeatedly, it ends up being considered normal,” said Trubus when contacted by Kompas.com via WhatsApp on Tuesday (14/4/2026).