The Southeast Sulawesi Ombudsman Asks The Konawe Regency Government Not To Be Silent About Extortion Actions At Toronipa Beach Tourism

The Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia, the Southeast Sulawesi Representative Office (Sultra) asked the Konawe Regency Government not to remain silent regarding allegations of illegal levies (Pungli) by irresponsible individuals at the entrance area of the Toronipa Beach tourist area, Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi. The extortion of unscrupulous persons at tourist sites has gone viral on several social media.

Head of the Indonesian Ombudsman of the Southeast Sulawesi Representative Office, Mastri Susilo, said that his party had received complaints from the public regarding illegal levies made by unscrupulous persons when visitors entered the entrance to the Toronipa beach area on holidays.

"Retribution rates at the entrance to Toronipa beach vary between Rp. 10,000 for each person, and if using a four-wheeled vehicle entering the area it is subject to Rp. 50,000 per car with 5 passengers in the car," he said when met in Kendari, Antara, Monday, October 21.

According to Mastri, public complaints against extortion at the entrance to Toronipa Beach are thought to have been going on for quite a while, and the local government must intervene immediately and not allow the extortion practice to occur.

"The problem is in the Toronipa tourist area, because many people live and live along the Toronipa beach entrance as well as land owners, so there can be extortion practices that are not monitored by officers who officially manage the area," he said.

To streamline the management of levies in the Toronipa tourist area, the Konawe Regency Government must immediately make a regional regulation (Perda) with a note involving some people as land owners along the coast.

Because if there is a regional regulation, then the withdrawal of levies will be better and the public (tourist visitors) will not feel disadvantaged because from the results of the levy, of course, facilities in tourism are also available such as parking lots, toilets or kasebo rental rates.

On the other hand, asked about complaints from the public who entered the Ombudsman throughout 2024, Mastri Sulio, who has served two terms as head of the Southeast Sulawesi Ombudsman Representative, said there had been 84 cases of complaints.

"The complaints from the public who entered the Ombudsman for the period January to the first week of October 2024 have reached 84 complaints. And of the highest number of complaints are employee complaints," he said.