D

espite President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s call for an end to illegal levies in the public service, state officials in the regions appear to be indifferent, with the decades-long practice continuing.

The latest example occurred on Thursday, when the North Sulawesi Police arrested a person over illegal levies in a sting. The suspect, identified only as M, allegedly asked for money from locals in exchange
for his help to disburse social aid funds.

A member of the National Committee for Political Survivors of ex-East Timor (Kokpit), M is accused of charging each family Rp 1.5 million (US$115.5) to speed up the disbursement of Rp 10 million in compensation for the loss of their belongings when joining Indonesia.

M was allegedly caught red-handed accepting money from a woman who had just received compensation from a local bank on Thursday.

There are around 400 former East Timor (now Timor Leste) citizens residing in Manado. North Sulawesi Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Marjuki says the institution is investigating the case further, including to determine how much money M is alleged to have accepted from locals.

The case in Manado has added to the long list of cases revolving around illegal levies in the country. Earlier in the week, South Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Djoko Prastowo, in plain clothes at the time, was allegedly asked for payment by his subordinate during an undercover operation. An on-duty police officer reportedly asked Djoko, who committed a traffic light violation, for money in return for letting him off.

The officer is among 85 police personnel arrested for the same violation in the last three weeks. The National Police recorded 69 cases of legal levies involving 85 officers from Oct. 1 to 16.

National Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Martinus Sitompul said collecting fees from traffic violators was among ways police officers earned illegal levies. “They also earn money from arranging driver’s licenses,” he said.

President Jokowi has called for the eradication of the corrupt practice. National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian has repeatedly warned that he would not hesitate to dismiss officers found guilty of accepting levies.

Jokowi has also extended his instruction to all leaders across the archipelago. In a move aimed at ensuring local administrations take serious action in rooting out illegal levies in their respective areas, Jokowi gathered all governors on Thursday in a meeting at the State Palace, where he instructed them to take part in the cause.

Jokowi claims to have received thousands of complaints from the public over illegal levies.

“Illegal levies have been here for years. We consider it normal. We are permissive of illegal levies,” Jokowi told the governors.

A number of governors vowed that they would fully support Jokowi’s efforts, with North Sumatra’s Tengku Erry Nuradi, Riau Islands’ Nurdin Basirun and Banten’s Rano Karno saying that their administrations had always tried to fight illegal levies.

The three provinces are among areas with major seaports prone to illegal levies.

Tengku said an integrated system was essential as many public service offices involved various stakeholders.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto is set to launch a special task force to lead the campaign, which will involve the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office on Friday, said Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung.