Presidential Aide Ensures State Protection for Victims of Confinement at Central Jakarta Printing Company

Jakarta - A worker named Tegar, who was allegedly confined and tortured at a printing company in Central Jakarta, has revealed he is still suffering from trauma following the incident. Tegar explained that the case began when he was accused of repeatedly stealing waste printing plates from his workplace. “I was accused of stealing the plate waste. After that, I experienced violence along with my friends and was then taken home and humiliated in front of the local residents,” Tegar said during a visit from Presidential Special Adviser for Employment and Workers’ Welfare, Said Iqbal, on Wednesday. Tegar stated that the company demanded a compensation payment of Rp50 million from each victim, despite the value of the waste plates being only around Rp200,000. He denied the repeated theft accusations and claimed he was threatened with physical harm, including having his hands broken, if he failed to pay the sum. Tegar, who worked as a freelancer at the company for about two years with a monthly salary of Rp500,000, also noted that he was not registered with the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan social security programme and had to cover his own medical expenses when ill. Presidential Special Adviser Said Iqbal assured the victims that the state would protect their rights. He confirmed that the government would cover all medical costs related to the case, including psychiatric assistance for the trauma experienced. Iqbal stated he had received a direct mandate to ensure the victims’ health and employment rights are not neglected. He also called on law enforcement to ensure the legal process proceeds without intimidation against the victims or their legal representatives, adding that he had coordinated directly with the National Police Chief to ensure the case receives serious attention.