Mahfud MD Claims Extortion Has Been Very Reduced: There Is Saber Extortion Spying

YOGYAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD claimed that illegal extortion cases in the country had greatly decreased since the establishment of the Illegal Sweeping Clean Up Task Force (Satgas Saber Pungli).

"Now, thank God, the extortion has greatly reduced. If I ask why, it is because there are extortion sabers who always spy, investigate who receives what," said Mahfud, after the declaration of DIY Towards a Regency/City Free from Extortion in Gedhong Pracimasana, The Kepatihan Office, Yogyakarta, quoted by Antara, Friday, September 24.

Mahfud said that since its inception, the Saber Extortion Task Force had arrested the perpetrators more than 43,000 times and the cases were transferred to the police.

Cases of illegal levies handled by Saber Pungli occurred in various public service sectors, such as obtaining a driver's license, requirements for applying for credit at a bank, to extortion for the management of PBB. "For example, if you have already paid the PBB, it says there is another administrative fee, that was a lot in the past and it was being pursued," he said.

In addition to the role of Saber Extortion, Mahfud continued, public services that now use an electronic-based system also contribute to suppressing extortion cases.

"You want to take an electronic driver's license. Even now in certain cities the Police have provided a car somewhere, anyone whose SIM card died is extended there. You don't have to go to the village for an ID card, now you just need to use your ID card number and you can get out just push," said Mahfud.

Although not evenly distributed, he said that gradually an electronic-based public service system had been inaugurated in various areas such as Surabaya and DKI Jakarta.

"Everything has now been tried so that the debureaucratization as said by the president in the context of Nawacita is covered with E-government with digital administration," he said.

Although various ways have been taken, he admits that until now there are still people who are trying to find loopholes to keep extortion going. Because of that, he said, "Report it later. It will definitely be investigated when someone is still misbehaving in that way." Mahfud said.