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Langkat regent suspected of graft, many more crimes
At least seven military and five police personnel, including an Army lieutenant colonel, were allegedly involved in the torture.
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A journalist photographs a cage in which humans were kept at the private residence of suspended Langkat regent Terbit Rencana Peranginangin in Raja Tengah village, Kuala district, Langkat regency, North Sumatra on Jan. 26, 2022. (Antara/Dadong Abhiseka)
T
he National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) recently announced the shocking results of their probes into suspended Langkat regent Terbit Rencana Peranginangin. The two state institutions have recommended that Attorney General ST Burhanuddin, National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit and even Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Andika Perkasa further corroborate their findings of gross crimes allegedly committed by Terbit.
The findings include alleged roles of several police and military personnel in systematic, years-long human rights violations against poor people in the North Sumatran regency. Both Listyo and Andika have committed to bringing to justice their subordinates suspected of abetting Terbit and intimidating the people. The police and TNI are still investigating the cases.
Learning from the horrifying crime story, it is high time for us to level up the requirements and the accountability mechanism for elected public officials, from the president to governors, mayors, regents and members of the national and regional legislatures. Current laws threaten to hand down heavy punishments against public officials involved in graft and administrative violations.
As in the case of Terbit, public officials may hide crimes against humanity they commit before getting elected or during their term. Terbit is perhaps the first public official to have faced multiple criminal charges.
Langkat regency is home to 1 million people. It is located in North Sumatra bordering Aceh and the Strait of Malacca. Terbit contested the regional election in 2018 with a total wealth of Rp 95 billion and now is one of the richest regional leaders.
The public was unaware of the crimes he allegedly committed until the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) caught him red-handed receiving Rp 786 million (US$54,206) in bribes from his brother, who acted on behalf of contractors, at his private residence on Jan. 18. The news of Terbit’s arrest might come as no surprise as the KPK has nabbed regents, mayors and governors before.
A few days after arresting Terbit, KPK investigators went to his residence to seize documents, and were shocked to find cages measuring 36 square meters, holding 48 people inside. The regent’s staff initially insisted the cages were used as a drug rehabilitation center. Even North Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Panca Putra Simanjuntak tended to play down the KPK findings. The inhuman practice reportedly had been going on long before Terbit became a regent, with hundreds of people falling victim, if not dying.
