Pilu Keluu Keluarga Diri Karena Pinjol, Legislator: Pemerintah Tidak Berdaya, Rakyat Menyakit

JAKARTA - Member of Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Mufti Anam, assessed that the government was not firm in handling online loan or Pinjol cases. Because there is no firmness from the Government, the community has become increasingly entangled in loans with large interest rates.

"Victim Pinjol continues to emerge because it is considered a solution when it needs fast money without complicated money. In fact, it is difficult in the future with high interest rates and unclear collections," said Mufti Anam, Tuesday, December 17.

Although the Government has closed the illegal loan site, Mufti said that non-strict supervision still makes loans appear.

"Without adequate supervision and strict sanctions, as a result, victims continue to emerge. The government is helpless because the loan is getting rampant, the people suffer," he said.

Mufti assessed that the government should take firmer steps regarding Pinjol because many people have become victims. Pinjol has had an impact on the socio-economic life of the community, even in criminal cases.

How many times have we heard that there have been cases of violence and even murder due to debt. The government should be able to see that this loan problem damages the joints of life because borrowing debt often blinds human conscience," said Mufti.

Not to mention, cases that made individuals and even families give up because they were in debt. Recently, his family in Kediri, East Java, tried to commit suicide because they were caught in debt. Fathers, mothers, and eldest children survived, but children who were still toddlers died.

A family of suicides due to debt problems also occurred in Tangerang, Banten, and was even carried out by several teachers. Mufti assessed that efforts to increase financial inclusion for people who are not bankable actually caused people to fall into debt that never stopped.

Not a few people are entangled in borrowing to dig hole covers that make their debts accumulate. Mufti said that this phenomenon should have been decided if there was a policy that supported the people's economy.

"Many are entangled in digging holes to cover the hole, to the point where there are no holes that can be dug and eventually dig a hole for themselves (suicide)," said the legislator from the East Java II electoral district.

From Bank Indonesia data, loan loans as of March 2024 have exceeded the figure of IDR 64 trillion. This shows how fast the growth and easy it is for people to get caught in loan sharks.

Bahkan berdasarkan data OJK, total utang pelaku usaha mikro, kecil, dan menengah (UMKM) kepada pinjol mencapai Rp 19 triliun pada Mei 2023. Mufti pun meminta Pemerintah untuk menyelesaikan regulasi soal pinjol ini, yang disebut bisa mudah diambangkan ketika ada ketegasan dan keberpihak pada rakyat.

"We regret why the regulations regarding this loan are not ready yet because there are still many holes here and there. There is no improvement at all even though there have been many victims, not only losing their property because of suns that strangled but lost their lives because they were unable to pay," he explained.

Mufti said that the economic tough conditions made people desperate to owe them unreasonable interest rates. The government should solve problems from the basic level.

"Right now, we all see many people who are frustrated and some choose suicide, because they are terrorized by debt collectors. This government is like allowing loans without adequate supervision, which means that many dark and gray spaces are used by pinjol," explained Mufti.

This member of the Commission in the DPR whose scope of duties is related to the operation of the people and BUMN asks the Government to be firm on loans. Mufti assessed that many loans had problems but left them alone.

"There are sanctions but just administration. The government must be able to limit loans, apply regulations that limit the number of banks with adequacy regulations and others," he said.

"Without clear restrictions and a loan roadmap, one loan will die, one thousand will grow. One close then a thousand pinjol appear, meaning it is the same as providing many poison choices to the people," continued Mufti.

Not only that, but Mufti also asked loan service owners to also be subject to sanctions if there is a problem.

"Don't just lower-class operators and employees who are arrested by law enforcement officers, the top pyramid is that the owner of the loan must also be charged," he said.

Mufti also reminded the Government to be serious and place the problem of borrowing as one of the priorities. Including improving the welfare of the community.

"It's empty to talk about 3 million houses, but then many people can't apply for home loans, because there are traffic jams in loans, even though they once had a track record of traffic jams of only Rp. 100 silver, they will be black-listed," said Mufti explaining the negative impact of the loan which was so severe.

Mufti also asked the Government to make it easier for the public to provide interest-friendly loan services. For example, increasing financial inclusion by re-enacting people's cooperative programs.

"In the past, the cooperative was very helpful for the community's economy, but now it is getting more and more receded. This should be buried by the Government again so that the people's cooperative program becomes an alternative financial alternative in the community," he said.

"Then how to empower existing financial institutions such as banks, pawnshops, BPD, BPR, Baital Mal and others to reach more Indonesian people," concluded Mufti.