Commercial crimes

Commercial crimes

From Neraca

Crimes rates have risen drastically of late. Thefts, robberies and murders continue to grow strongly as usual, and there is an upward trend in economic or commercial crimes.

The government loses up to billions of rupiah from commercial crimes. If it does not intervene immediately, these losses will grow and the state will go bankrupt.

Commercial crimes are committed in production, trade, importing, exporting and banking.

Eighty-two cases of commercial crime were recorded in 1994, and 45 were recorded in 1995. In the first half of 1996, 23 were reported. From year to year the number of cases has fallen, but the value of losses has increased.

Banking crimes account for 70 percent of total commercial crimes. They involve credit transfers, cheques, loans, credit cards and general corruption.

Crime by wire, using an electronic medium, is the most popular method of banking crime. The companies, where these crimes have happened, are generally reluctant to report them to the police.

I appeal to the press and the government to regularly inform the business world on commercial crime. With pertinent knowledge, businesspeople will more readily report crimes within their companies to the police.

Many people think that commercial crimes are the pastimes of smart fellows, so there is no reason for them to feel ashamed, but it does in fact have serious consequences for the country's economy.

E. KOSWARA

Jakarta