DPR Member: State Must Be Present to Protect Citizens' Events from Thuggery

Jakarta (ANTARA) - A member of Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), Abdullah, stated that the state must be present to protect events or celebrations held by citizens from acts of thuggery, in response to the case of the assault on a citizen, Dadang (57), who was beaten to death by a group of thugs while hosting a celebration in Purwakarta Regency, West Java.

“The form of the state’s presence is that the police and local government must prepare and implement security standards to protect citizens’ celebrations,” said Abdullah in Jakarta on Tuesday.

According to him, such security must be carried out technically and substantively to prevent acts of thuggery at events held by citizens.

Its implementation must involve the police through Community Guidance and Security Officers (Bhabinkamtibmas), the local government through the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP), and other necessary elements.

In addition, he emphasised that local governments and the police must intensify raids on the circulation of alcoholic beverages or illegal liquor, which often trigger violence at citizens’ celebrations.

“Almost every case of thuggery and violence at citizens’ celebrations involves alcohol. In fact, its circulation is strictly regulated and must not be sold indiscriminately,” he said.

He also encouraged law enforcement to intensify routine and ongoing raids on social ills, especially thuggery. Allowing such practices will disrupt social stability and economic growth.

“If not dealt with firmly, thuggery will flourish, disrupting public order and even damaging the investment climate in the region,” he said.

To that end, he urged the police to impose maximum punishment on the perpetrators of the assault that caused Dadang’s death, to fulfil legal certainty and justice for the victim.

“Based on the Criminal Code, perpetrators of assaults causing death face imprisonment of up to 12 years. This punishment must be applied to the barbaric act that took Dadang’s life during his child’s wedding,” he said.

Previously, on Saturday (4/4), Dadang (57), a resident of Kertamukti Village, Campaka Subdistrict, Purwakarta Regency, passed away after being beaten by a number of youths suspected to be intoxicated in the midst of his child’s wedding party.

At the time of the incident, Dadang was holding his child’s wedding party at home. To entertain the guests, the party was enlivened with a solo organ performance.

At 14:50 WIB, while the organ entertainment was underway, a group of people suspected to be drunk arrived at the celebration venue.

They demanded money from the organ player on the grounds of buying additional drinks. The organ organiser gave Rp100,000, but the person refused, saying it was still insufficient.

The group demanded Rp500,000, but it was rejected, and the rejection from the family is suspected to have triggered the perpetrators’ anger. The initially conducive situation turned tense within minutes.

The guests panicked, some running away, while others tried to intervene. However, the commotion escalated into brutal violence.

In the midst of the chaos, Dadang, who was managing the event, became the target of the rage. He was struck with a hard object to the head and lost consciousness at the scene.