Illegal Parking Attendants in Tanah Abang Arrested Despite Rano's Earlier Remark That 'Once a Year Is Fine'

The case of illegal parking attendants in the Tanah Abang Market area has recently attracted widespread attention. The unlicensed attendants were charging parking fees of up to Rp100,000 for cars and Rp60,000 for motorcycles — far above regulated rates.

Police secured eight suspected illegal parking attendants operating in the Tanah Abang area of Central Jakarta on Monday 16 February. The attendants are suspected of conducting extortion against visitors to Tanah Abang Market under the guise of providing parking services. Officers also conducted urine tests on the detained individuals following indications of narcotics use.

Jakarta Vice Governor Rano Karno initially appeared to play down the situation when he remarked: “This is something that happens once a year, the congestion — once a year is not a problem.” The comment drew public criticism, as it appeared to trivialise the extortionate fees being imposed on market visitors during the busy period ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

However, Rano subsequently struck a firmer tone, stating there would be “no tolerance” for illegal parking practices in the capital. He expressed confidence that the Tanah Abang area could be brought under control within two to three days, with enforcement operations involving the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP), the Indonesian National Police, and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI).

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung also weighed in, confirming that the provincial government had been monitoring the illegal parking situation at Tanah Abang Market. The governor said that the DKI Jakarta administration had coordinated with police authorities to take firm action and supported law enforcement in thoroughly investigating the case.

Based on preliminary investigations, the parking attendants caught during the operation are strongly indicated to have committed illegal levies or extortion. Police confirmed that the perpetrators could be charged under criminal law should the examination process yield sufficient evidence of criminal conduct.

The crackdown on illegal parking attendants at Tanah Abang forms part of broader efforts to restore order in the bustling market district, which is one of Southeast Asia’s largest textile markets and experiences severe congestion during peak shopping seasons.