Pemerintah Jangan Jadi 'Macan Ompong' Berantas Pinjol-Judol

JAKARTA - Member of Commission VI of the House of Representatives, Mufti Anam, reminded the government not to become a toothless tiger to eradicate online lending (pinjol) and Online Gambling (judol) practices. He encouraged the government to prohibit companies or social media platforms from accepting loan and judol advertisements firmly.

"The government can collaborate with the owner of social media platforms so that lending and judol are not given space to place advertisements," said Mufti Anam, Wednesday, November 6.

"That's right, that one of the causes of the loan is judol. What if people are addicted to online gambling, they can do everything they can," said the legislator from the East Java II electoral district.

This disturbing loan phenomenon was discussed by Mufti at 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 loans. Meanwhile, BPKN received 381 complaints with a total loss of Rp 202.6 billion for the period January to July 30, 2024, which after being investigated turned out to be the most complaints related to trade through electronic systems.

It is also known that a lot of data leak information actually comes from banks where when people apply for a loan to the bank, not long after they get a call from a borrower. The protection of personal data here must also be a concern.

Not to mention that this loan application is milling about in the Youtube and TikTok applications because on these two platforms, loan applications such as the 'Ada Kami' application have become the background for the film'sleep Call'.

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

He said again, the slice of social impact from loans, including one of which is a short way for people to get out of financial problems. In fact, said Mufti, the bad impact of borrowing could be greater.

"Pinjol is considered a solution for them, because they can get access to financing and money with relatively easy conditions. Even though they end up having to be entangled in loans, which actually makes their problems even more severe because of the unreasonable interest," he explained.

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

In addition, there are still many cases that are inhumane just because of judol and pinjol. This is what needs to be evaluated from all relevant parties in eradicating online loans and gambling.

"What if people are addicted to online gambling can do everything they can, not only neglecting their families but also using ways beyond reason," said Mufti.

"Of course this should be a major evaluation for the executive, legislature and judiciary to how to focus on eradicating this loan and judol," he continued.

"So in the future, the root of this problem is not only borrowing or gambling, but how the government and all stakeholders can educate the public that borrowing and judol are not solutions to existing problems," said Mufti.

"I also ordered BPKN to be able to go directly to the field to help eradicate loans which are a scourge in our grassroots community. The point is the presence of the Government," added the member of the DPR from the millennial circle.

Mufti also highlighted the case of an online gambling mafia involving employees of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi). According to him, law enforcement should not be indiscriminate.

'Fight up all judol control syndicates. And don't just the lower class people who are brushed up like Gunawan Sadbor,' said Mufti.

"There are many influencers and large public figures who participate in promoting, but the legal cases are stagnant. We ask law enforcers to be fair, not sharp downwards but blunt upwards," he said.