Serious Determination Is Needed To 'crack' Extortion In Padang, Academics Ask The City Government To Take Consistent Action

Illustration of illegal levies alias extortion. (Pixabay)

PADANG - Andalas University academic Defika Yufiandra said serious determination was needed to 'beat' illegal levies or extortion in Padang, West Sumatra. Defika also asked the city government to be consistent in acting.

"The Padang City Government must be consistent in eradicating the practice of illegal levies, especially in crowded places, such as tourist attractions, markets or shopping centers," Defika said in Padang, Tuesday, June 7.

He said, if the practice of extortion cannot be suppressed, it will have a negative impact on the image of the city of Padang.

The city of Padang is an area that has tourism potential so it must create an image free of extortion so that visitors come to travel.

He added, in addition to prioritizing action against perpetrators, direct supervision at crowded points that are prone to extortion must also be carried out.

"It will not be effective if it only relies on legal action, considering that criminal law cannot touch everything if it does not meet the elements of the articles in the Criminal Code," said the teaching staff of the Faculty of Law Unand.

"Therefore, his party encourages the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol-PP) to be placed in the field so that they can supervise directly.

In line with this, Defika, who is also a lawyer, encouraged the city government to organize a parking system and an official parking interpreter.

"Usually the perpetrators of extortion at crowded points wear masks as parking attendants, so the parking system must also be arranged thoroughly, so that it is clear that the parking attendants are official and not," explained Adek, Defika's nickname.

The Padang Police as a law enforcement agency previously threatened to take action against extortionists.

The Padang Police previously arrested two extortionists suspected of extorting visitors at Padang Beach, the Purus Bridge area, on the evening of Sunday 6 May.