Viral Video Allegedly Shows Minister's Escort Squeezing Driver in Senayan
A video with a narrative claiming a police escort for a motorcade with the plate RI 21 squeezed another driver on the road has gone viral on social media. The vehicle with the RI 21 plate is suspected to belong to Minister for Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Rini Widyantini.
In a post on the Instagram account @jakarta24jam.id, the incident occurred around Jalan Pintu 1 Senayan, Central Jakarta. According to the driver’s account, he was queuing to turn at an intersection. When it was almost his turn to proceed, he saw a police escort motorcycle approaching from the right.
The driver continued his manoeuvre, believing he still had enough time to complete the turn. He estimated the distance to the RI 21 convoy was still considerable. However, as his vehicle entered the turning area, he claimed his car was squeezed by the escort motorcycle and he was ordered to stop.
He also claimed to have received a reprimand from officers at the scene. According to his account, the situation was potentially dangerous because his vehicle was already in the middle of a manoeuvre and could not stop suddenly.
When confirmed, Jakarta Metro Police Traffic Director Brigadier General Komarudin said his party had monitored the incident and was conducting an investigation. “We will certainly investigate the discomfort caused by yesterday’s situation, so that the implementation of escorts, which is regulated by law, can be more professional,” Komarudin said on Thursday (2/7).
Komarudin stated that the escort officer on duty at the time would be summoned for clarification regarding the incident. He also appealed to the public and motorists that if they encounter something they feel is inappropriate on the road, they should stop first before recording, or ask a passenger to record. He advised against driving while using a mobile phone or recording. There has been no official statement from the Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform or the ministry regarding this incident.