2 days ago
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January 2, 2025 | 10:34 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the International Relations Department at Padjadjaran University, Arfin Sudirman, responded to the extortion case against some Malaysian audience of the Djakarta Warehouse Project, or DWP 2024. The Malaysian audience was extorted a sum of money by Indonesian police members.
Arfin said the case harms Indonesia’s diplomacy, especially in the aspect of law enforcement. “Diplomacy is not only about the image Indonesia presents for other countries, but [the case] will also impact [international] cooperations related to law enforcement,” Arfin said in a written statement on Thursday, January 2.
According to Arfin, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not the sole actor in diplomacy, as the police also take part in the form of police attachés and the International Criminal Police Organization, or Interpol. The Indonesian National Police, or Polri, Arfin explained, is one of its members.
Arfin emphasized that the police have a diplomatic function to support law enforcement for transnational crimes, such as drug-related cases. Thus, the National Police’s image is crucial to resolving cross-border cases.
“Good image means easier cooperation to tackle transnational crimes,” he said.
Previously, a Malaysian citizen was the victim of extortion while watching the dance music festival, DWP 2024. The Police Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said the victim was detained by Jakarta Metro Police before eventually being released without having to pay Rp100 million as requested by the police.
The Police Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur explained that they immediately coordinated with various parties, including contacting the victim directly by telephone. The efforts were paid off as the victim was released and successfully returned to Malaysia without paying the requested money.
This case is part of an extensive list of reports of alleged extortion in DWP 2024. The number of victims of extortion is expected to rise considering the complaint desk opened at the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia. The total evidence collected in this case reached Rp2.5 billion.
Intan Setiawanty contributed to the writing of this article.
Editor’s Choice: Extortion by Police Clouds DWP 2024: A Brief History Behind the Dance Music Festival
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