Cleaning up hoodlums

Cleaning up hoodlums

Police officer First Lieutenant Budi Prasetyo Utomo was killed and his friend Capt. Arman Depari is suffering from injuries because a group of hoodlums attacked them in Blok M, Jakarta recently.

The cause of the fight is unimportant. The police officers, while trying to park their car, misunderstood the demands of the hoodlums, who were at that place. An exchange of angry words entailed, which led to the deadly fight.

Disregarding whatever the cause of the bloody incident, society was shocked at the death of the police officer. If a police officer, in plain clothes, could become a victim of some hoodlums' brutality, surely ordinary people are much more vulnerable to such behavior.

Based on this fact, City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo ordered a "Cleansing Operation" against the hoodlums in the city.

Society was happy to see that the police reacted so promptly against the hoodlums. In a lawful country the "law of the jungle" must not exist. The public will be very anxious if the law enforcing body does not act quickly and effectively.

But, experience shows that when police ease their repressive measures the hoodlums, locally known as preman, tend to make a come back. Therefore, it is highly necessary to exercise preventative measures by always strictly supervising the places where hoodlums usually conduct their operations.

Obviously, the basic principle of "presumption of innocence" must be upheld. Violence is not necessarily encountered by violence. However, those found guilty must be dealt with firmly, while the innocent should be treated tactfully.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta