Government Should Not Be a 'Toothless Tiger' in Eradicating Online Loans and Online Gambling Sites

JAKARTA - Member of Commission VI of the House of Representatives (DPR), Mufti Anam, reminded the government not to be a toothless tiger in eradicating online loan practices (pinjol) and online gambling (judol). He urged the government to strictly prohibit companies or social media platforms from accepting pinjol and judol advertisements.

"The government can collaborate with social media platform owners so that pinjol and judol are not given space to place advertisements," said Mufti Anam, Wednesday, November 6.

"It is true that pinjol is one of the causes of judol. How can people who are addicted to online gambling do anything," said the legislator from the East Java II electoral district.

The phenomenon of pinjol, which has been very disturbing, was discussed by Mufti in the DPR Commission VI Working Meeting with the National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN) and the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) last week.

Mufti highlighted 13 thousand people who complained because they were deceived in online transactions, including pinjol. Meanwhile, BPKN received 381 complaints with a total loss of IDR 202.6 billion for the period from January to July 30, 2024, which after being investigated, turned out that the most complaints were related to trading through electronic systems.

It is also known that much of the information on data leaks actually comes from banking where when people apply for loans to banks, not long after they receive a call from the loan distributor. Protection of personal data here must also be a concern.

Not to mention that these loan applications are widely circulated on the Youtube and TikTok applications because on these two platforms, loan applications always appear such as the 'AdaKami' application which is the background of the film 'Sleep Call'.

"So yesterday I told BPKN not to be a 'toothless tiger' in efforts to eradicate loan sharks, including other ministries/government institutions. Because BPKN can contribute even more in preventing this loan shark," explained Mufti.

He said again, social impacts of online loans include being a shortcut for people to get out of financial problems. In fact, said Mufti, the negative impacts of online loans can be greater.

"Online loans are considered a solution for them, because they can get access to financing and money with relatively easy conditions. Even though they end up getting caught in online loans which actually make their problems worse because the interest is unreasonable," he explained.

On the other hand, Mufti assessed that the online loans and online gambling phenomenon also caused many criminal cases and spread to family problems. One case that occurred due to online gambling occurred in Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi in 2023 where a man with the initials AL (48) was determined to rob and kill his own biological mother with the initials R (80) in order to be able to play online gambling and buy crystal methamphetamine.

In addition, there are still many inhumane cases carried out just because of online loans and online loans. This is what needs to be evaluated by all related parties in eradicating online loans and online gambling.

"How can someone who is addicted to online gambling do anything, not only neglecting their family but also using methods that are beyond reason," said Mufti.

"Of course this must be a major evaluation for the executive, legislative and judiciary on how to focus on eradicating online loans and online loans," he continued.

"So in the future, the root of the problem is not just online loans or online loans but how the government and all stakeholders can educate the public that online loans and online loans are not the solution to existing problems," said Mufti.

"I also ordered BPKN to go directly to the field to help eradicate online loans that are a scourge in our grassroots society. The point is the presence of the government," added the millennial member of the DPR.

Mufti also highlighted the online gambling mafia case involving employees of the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi). According to him, law enforcement must be impartial.

"Dismantle all online loans controlling online loans. And don't just sweep the lower class like Gunawan Sadbor," said Mufti.

"There are many influencers and big public figures who help promote, but their legal cases are stagnant. We ask law enforcers to be fair, don't be sharp at the bottom but blunt at the top," he said.