Man Assaults Petrol Station Attendant in East Jakarta While Claiming Car Belongs to 'General' and 'Police Chief'
Jakarta, VIVA – A man suspected of being a member of the security apparatus allegedly invoked claims that the car he was driving belonged to a general, in connection with an alleged assault on an attendant during a refuelling process at a petrol station in Cipinang, Pulogadung, East Jakarta.
“He said, ‘Do you know whose barcode this is? This is a general’s barcode. Don’t you know this is a general’s barcode?’ He kept repeating it,” said Lukman Hakim (19), one of the petrol station attendants who was a victim of the assault, in East Jakarta on Monday.
According to Lukman, suspicions that the man was a member of the security apparatus arose from his own repeated references to senior police ranks.
The remarks were made during a dispute over a barcode discrepancy for a Pertalite fuel purchase.
Lukman said he was shocked and frightened when the customer repeatedly invoked the identity of senior police officials.
Beyond mentioning “general,” the man also used the term “Kapolda” (regional police chief) whilst berating the attendants.
The statements, he said, caused tensions to escalate at the scene and led the attendants to exercise caution.
“We started thinking — what if he really is a member of the security forces or is carrying a firearm? So we didn’t dare resist,” Lukman said.
In a video recording that has been circulating, the word “Kapolda” can be clearly heard as the man berated the attendants.
Another petrol station staff member, Mukhlisin (38), confirmed that the perpetrator had referred to the vehicle as a “general’s car.”
He said the remarks formed the basis for suspicions of involvement by a member of the security apparatus.
“He was the one who said, ‘This is a general’s car.’ In the video, you can also hear the word ‘Kapolda’ when he was shouting,” Mukhlisin said.
During the incident, the perpetrator reportedly seized a bag belonging to one of the attendants. However, the staff chose not to resist to avoid greater risk.
“We were afraid that if we fought back, it would become a bigger problem. That’s why we chose to simply report it to the police,” Lukman said.
Based on information gathered, only one person stepped out of the vehicle. However, it is suspected that a woman and a driver were also inside the car.
The case has since been reported to the police for further investigation.
The petrol station’s management expressed hope that authorities would thoroughly investigate the incident and ensure that no one abuses official titles or institutional authority to intimidate members of the public.