Puan Highlights The Phenomenon Of Women Entangled In Pinjol, Activists: Input Of The Speaker Of The DPR Must Be Responded To By The Government

A number of children play near the online loan themed mural (pinjol) in the Tempurejo area, Surabaya, East Java, Tuesday, September 2021. (Between-Didik S)

JAKARTA - Female activist from the Sarinah Institute, Luky Sandra Amalia welcomed the attention of the Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, regarding the phenomenon of women being trapped in online loan (pinjol) practices. According to Amalia, the input from the Speaker of the House of Representatives to free women from the entanglement of online loans must be taken seriously by the government.

As a female figure at the national level, Puan's attitude is considered to reflect important gender sensitivity in dealing with an economic crisis that has a direct impact on vulnerable groups, especially women.

"The side of the Chairman of the DPR RI, Puan Maharani, certainly deserves appreciation. As a woman, Puan has gender sensitivity to women's problems, it deserves appreciation," said Amalia, Tuesday, April 29.

Amalia assessed that the current phenomenon of women being entangled in online loans has indeed reached an alarming level. In many cases, she said, women not only bear the economic burden, but also experience psychological pressure, domestic violence, and even loss of life.

"The case of women being in debt is increasingly worrying because women are indeed the most vulnerable group related to economic security, especially in the midst of difficult economic conditions like today," he said.

"When a woman becomes a victim of an online loan, it is certain that it will have a negative impact on the safety of herself, her family, and her future," continued Amalia.

In fact, according to Amalia, many women, including their families, have lost their lives due to the problem of borrowing debt.

"It's as if these women who are borrowed victims have to fight alone to deal with loan providers without having adequate knowledge," said the researcher at the Political Research Center of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

Based on data from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) from 2018 to 2024, there were 1,944 complaints of borrowed victims from Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi and outside Jabodetabek. A total of 1,208 (62.14 percent) victims were women, the remaining 734 (37.76 percent) were men.

Meanwhile, research from the Department of Criminology of the University of Indonesia's FISIP in 2022 showed women accessing loans to meet family needs, followed by personal needs, and opening businesses.

Seeing this phenomenon, Amalia called for the Government to take full responsibility in resolving this issue. According to him, only the Government has the authority and capacity to take firm action against illegal loan providers.

"The state must be present to resolve this issue and save Indonesian women from being trapped in a loan because only the government has full authority to take action against Pinjol providers, especially illegal ones, as well as build more gender-sensitive economic security," said Amalia.

Amalia revealed that currently there have been several efforts initiated by the Government to overcome the problem of borrowing, such as reporting that can be done through the Financial Services Authority (OJK), the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi), to the National Police.

Then there is also financial and digital literacy through the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA), to social assistance through the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos).

Even so, according to Amalia, these facilities are still not optimal to solve the problem of borrowing which also ensnares many women.

"The problem is, the case of women in debt is actually increasing, meaning that there are still policies that need to be addressed from these efforts or the Government needs to increase its law enforcement again so that the providers of the loan see the seriousness of the Government," he explained.

Amalia also hopes that Puan's attention to this issue will increase the government's awareness. This is important considering that the case of women being entangled in loans, especially women who are household heads, has not subsided.

The concrete steps of the Government are of course very much needed. And it needs serious synergy between related stakeholders," said Amalia.

Amalia added that the synergy between related parties must be maximized, starting from preventive measures through regulatory regulations and increasing knowledge about economic security.

"Then the settlement of cases through legal and social authority, until after case through economic empowerment so that women who are borrowed can get out of the vicious circle of economic crush," he concluded.

Previously, the Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, highlighted the phenomenon of women who are trapped in online loan practices (pinjol), especially those who are heads of families. He asked for this phenomenon to be resolved immediately.

Puan emphasized the importance of safer and more friendly financial services for women, especially for women as heads of families who support their family life.

"The state must ensure that it provides access to safer and more friendly financial services for women. Especially for women as heads of families who must be the backbone of their family members," said Puan.

The former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture also urged the government and related institutions to immediately tighten regulations on the loan industry and encourage the provision of loans with more reasonable interest rates. Puan also asked for education from the public to continue.

"It is important to educate the public, especially women, about the risks associated with borrowing. Women must be protected from harmful lending practices," said Puan.