Mahfud MD Receives Report: There Are Persons Claiming To Be Saber Extortion Even Asking For Money From Entrepreneurs

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD admitted that he often received reports from the public about individuals claiming to be the Saber Pungli Task Force asking for money.

Mahfud said these individuals often used the attributes of the Saber Extortion Task Force. In carrying out the action, they usually come to the office or company.

"I often receive reports via WhatsApp, over the phone there are people who claim to be from Saber Pungli and wear clothes that have this kind of thing (pointing to the logo of the Saber Pungli Task Force) often asking for money," he said as quoted from the Instagram account @mohmahfudmd, Thursday, December 16.

"They come to offices, companies, businessmen and then ask to check the financial book, 'who did you bribe yesterday'," added Mahfud.

He then asked the public not to easily believe this kind of person. Moreover, Mahfud said, the Saber Extortion Task Force was not an independent law enforcer but a law enforcer attached to other law enforcement officers.

"Saber Pungli he can not enforce the law but if there is (later, red) handed over to the police, especially criminal law enforcement," he said.

So, Mahfud asked the public not to believe when someone claiming to be a member of the task force team then tried to check the books and ask for money. Anyone should not only be afraid just because they see an officer's uniform because anyone can be asked to make one.

Moreover, this kind of incident has often been experienced by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Mahfud said, many individuals claimed to be anti-corruption commission officers to get money from regional heads, including sub-district heads and district heads.

"Be careful who wears uniforms. This is the uniform (the logo of the Saber Pungli Task Force, ed) that has been around for a long time and can be made by other people," he said.

"So don't let anyone act in the name of saber extortion, even in the name of the KPK. There is a private KPK that asks for money then the camat is afraid, the regent is afraid, threatened to be brought and then pay, pay. That's a lot too, people should be careful," concluded the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).