Youth group denies debt collection

Pemuda Pancasila, a prominent youth group, has emphatically denied allegations that the organization is involved in illegal debt collection work or any other criminal activity.

"It's wrong to allege that Pemuda Pancasila is a debt collection group," said Yapto Soerjosoemarno, the chairman of Pemuda Pancasila, in a meeting on Thursday.

His comments were directed at a report published recently by a local weekly.

The authorities launched an anti-crime operation earlier this year, which included crackdowns on illegal debt collectors.

However Yapto, who is also a lawyer, said that some members of the group and even he himself were involved in (presumably legal) debt collection activities in their personal capacities.

Surya reported that Pemuda Pancasila, whose uniforms are easily identified by their orange-based, tiger-stripe camouflage, claimed to have six million members throughout the country. (09)