18 Indonesian Cops Held For Alleged Extortion Of Malaysians At Concert

---

 
Several Malaysians who attended the Djakarta Warehouse Project concert claimed they were forced to undergo urine tests, asked to show their passports and pressured to pay money. (Facebook pic)
JAKARTA: Indonesian police have detained 18 of their personnel suspected of extorting money from Malaysians attending the Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) concert in Kemayoran, North Jakarta.
Public information bureau head Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko confirmed that the 18 were from the Metro Jaya police, central Jakarta police and the Kemayoran police station.
“They have been detained by the professional and security division (Propam) for further investigation,” he said in a statement.
The detentions followed several complaints from Malaysians who took to social media alleging they were mistreated and extorted during the event.
“We will not tolerate any misconduct by our members,” Trunoyudo said, adding that updates would be provided soon.
The Malaysians had claimed they were forced to undergo urine tests, asked to show their passports and pressured to pay money even though their drug test results returned negative.
The three-day concert at the Jakarta International Expo, organised by Ismaya Live, a part of the Ismaya Group, concluded on Dec 15 and is one of Asia’s largest electronic music festivals.
In a statement, the DWP organisers expressed regret over the challenges faced by the concert fans. They acknowledged that while some issues were beyond their control, they understood the impact they had on fans.
The organisers gave an assurance that they were working with the relevant authorities and government bodies to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
The incident has also drawn attention from House of Representatives Commission III chief Habiburokhman, who expressed confidence that Propam would address the alleged extortions fairly.
“If extortion did occur, those involved should be punished,” he said.
The National Police Commission has also called for decisive action against the officers involved, urging ethical hearings and criminal penalties if any crime is confirmed.
“If it’s a criminal matter, they should be prosecuted. We support Propam’s investigation,” said commissioner Choirul Anam, according to the Kumparan news portal. - FMT

---