Soroti DPRD Tramadol Sold Free in Jakarta, Insulted the Trigger of Youth Brawl 

JAKARTA - Member of Commission A of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Kevin Wu, highlighted the rampant circulation of tramadol-type hard drugs that are said to be sold freely in a number of areas in Jakarta. He assessed that this condition cannot be considered a normal violation because the impact has touched the issue of security and social in the community.

Kevin said the abuse of tramadol among teenagers should be wary because it is suspected to be related to an increase in fights, street crime, and other juvenile delinquency. According to him, the hard drug which should only be obtained through a doctor's prescription is circulating without adequate supervision.

"If tramadol continues to be sold freely like this, we are letting Jakarta's young generation be slowly poisoned. This is not just a violation, this is a serious threat to the future of our children," said Kevin Wu in his statement, Tuesday, March 17.

He assessed that the abuse of tramadol was often used to create a brave or euphoric effect, which then encouraged aggressive behavior. Therefore, the issue of circulation of illegal hard drugs cannot be separated from efforts to prevent disorder at the root of the problem.

In recent days, residents' concerns about the practice of selling hard drugs have reportedly sparked immediate reactions on the ground. Residents are even said to have dispersed the sellers by firing fireworks as a form of protest.

For Kevin, the incident showed the high level of public unrest. He assessed that the response of the residents was a signal that the authorities should not be slow to intervene.

"When residents have to intervene themselves because they feel their environment is being damaged by the circulation of hard drugs, it means that the state and the police should not be late. Law enforcement must move faster than the public's anger," he said.

Kevin then urged law enforcement, BPOM, and related agencies to take action against traders who sell hard drugs without a license. According to him, if left alone, the circulation of illegal hard drugs will continue to be one of the factors that worsen the condition of environmental security.

"Don't let us be busy dealing with juvenile fights in the downstream, but let the source of the problem remain free-flowing in the upstream," said Kevin.

He also encouraged routine and integrated operations involving the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, the police, BPOM, and Satpol PP to regulate kiosks suspected of selling tramadol illegally.

"The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government together with the police, BPOM, and the Satpol PP need to carry out routine and integrated operations to discipline kiosks that sell illegal hard drugs," he explained.

In addition to discipline, Kevin asked for law enforcement to be carried out until it had a deterrent effect on the perpetrators. "Traders who are proven to sell narcotics without a license must be processed legally so that it has a deterrent effect and does not repeat the same practice," he added.

According to Kevin, supervision also needs to be accompanied by mapping the areas prone to illegal drug trafficking in Jakarta. This step is necessary so that surveillance operations are not carried out sporadically, but are based on points that do have a high level of vulnerability.

"The government needs to map out the points that are the center of illegal circulation of illegal drugs so that supervision can be carried out more effectively. Then, the DKI Provincial Government needs to strengthen education about the dangers of drug abuse among teenagers through schools, communities, and families," he said.

He added that the public must also be given access to a quick complaint so that reports on the location of illegal drug sales can be immediately followed up.

Kevin emphasized that the issue of illegal circulation of tramadol concerns the safety of Jakarta's young generation so that it should not be taken lightly.

"Jakarta must not be defeated by illegal drug traffickers. The state must be present, the police need to act decisively, and we all must ensure that the future of the younger generation is not destroyed by this destructive drug," he added.