Three Printing Workers Held Captive in Central Jakarta, Offered Rp 1 Billion Hush Money

Special Adviser to the President for Employment and Workers’ Welfare, Said Iqbal, has disclosed that he met with one of the victims of a printing company in Central Jakarta who was held captive. Said Iqbal stated that from his conversation with the victim, there were allegations of intimidation experienced by the victim after the case came to light. “These facts also show there was intimidation by certain individuals to prevent this case from proceeding,” Said Iqbal explained during a press conference at the Metro Jakarta Police Headquarters on Friday (3/7/2026). He added that the victim also claimed a party had offered them money, up to Rp 1 billion per person, to drop the case. “Then, based on the explanation I received directly from the victim, they were offered money, even up to Rp 1 billion per person. They refused because they need justice,” Iqbal said. Iqbal also mentioned that the case of unlawful confinement has drawn the attention of President Prabowo Subianto. He noted that the actions of the printing company owner violated the second principle of Pancasila. Iqbal has met with one of the victims named Tegar. He received information that Tegar endured inhumane treatment. “I found several things there. One, it is true that the three of them, including Tegar, were treated inhumanely, among other things, they were paraded without any legal process,” Iqbal said. Said Iqbal was deeply moved by the condition of the victim and his family. Tegar’s father is an ice seller. “What touched my heart, and I am sure the President will also give special attention, is that his father is just an ice seller, a poor man, and his child was treated like that until he cried, inhumanely, paraded around,” he added. Said Iqbal is confident President Prabowo Subianto is paying special attention to this case. Moreover, Prabowo has often spoken about the people’s hope for defending the weak. “President Prabowo conveyed to fellow workers and the Indonesian people a message to always protect the people, always side with the weak, always serve the little people, do not hurt the people’s hearts, do not make the people suffer. That is what he always conveys to us and in his speeches before the people as well,” he explained. Furthermore, Said stated the victims were treated very inhumanely. Besides being held captive for 21 days, they were also put in chains. “My second finding, based on the victim’s explanation and the lawyer, is that they were held captive and not fed for 3 days, chained, and treated in an uncivilised and inhumane manner,” he said. “In principle, if there are workers suspected of violating the law, the handling should be done legally by the employer or entrepreneur, not by taking the law into one’s own hands, treating them inhumanely and uncivilisedly,” he continued. According to him, the treatment of the three victims by the printing company owner violated the fundamental principles of Pancasila. “It violates the second principle of Pancasila, just and civilised humanity,” he stated.