Viral Satpol PP Officers In North Sumatra Expelled While Taking Shelter In Residents' Houses

MEDAN - A number of members of the Satpol PP were expelled by traders while taking shelter in a resident's house which went viral on social media. The video was recorded at Lelo Market, Serdang Bedagai (Sergai) Regency, North Sumatra.

The video shows a number of Satpol PP officers taking shelter in one of the houses, due to the hot weather. Suddenly several people who were suspected to be traders came and asked them to leave.

The reason is that they do not have permission to take shelter in the heat of the day.

"Please, brother, don't take shelter here, this is not your brother's property," said one of the traders in the video.

Spontaneously, members of the Satpol PP said that when they had received a permit, they took shelter.

"Where's the permit?" said the merchant.

"If you want to take shelter, don't stay here elsewhere, it's okay. Please leave, please go outside. Please get out, this is private land, don't stay here. It's good for you to take shelter on other people's land," added the trader in the video.

Due to constant pressure from the Satpol PP to leave the location.

Separately, the Head of Satpol PP Serdang Bedagai Fajar Simbolon when contacted confirmed the video. The incident when members of the Satpol PP were expelled while taking shelter in a resident's house occurred on Sunday, October 31.

At that time the members were doing security for the relocation of Lelo Market, because they did not have a standing permit.

"So the Lelo Market does not have a permit and the government plans to relocate it to the People's Market in Sei Rampah. From 2019 we have socialized it. We assign members to maintain peace and order there and in every market," Fajar told VOI, Thursday, 4 November.

Fajar explained that the person who expelled the Satpol PP officers was not a resident or the owner of the house. Rather, a merchant who refuses to be relocated.

"There is no authority for traders to expel members to take shelter, moreover it is the office of the National Awakening Party (PKB). It is not a resident's house and members have asked PKB for permission," he explained.

Due to the viral video of the eviction of Satpol PP members who took shelter in residents' homes, Fajar emphasized that his party would not report it to the authorities.

"So that we don't make a fuss, we will attract members. There is no need to report, we don't make a report, we just regret that it happened, let alone it went viral. We are just doing our job, why are we forbidden to take shelter," he said.

"We are used to dealing with that, it's the duty of the Satpol PP to throw tomatoes and vegetables at the residents," continued Fajar.